Silver Alert CA - Stephanie Menard, 73, Daniel Menard, 79, & Cuddles, white Shih Tzu, Olive Dell Ranch nudist resort, unlocked car found, Redlands, 24 Aug 2024

[HmmMysterious]

But doesn’t it seem particularly difficult to hold a grudge when everyone is naked all the time? I’m not really understanding the social dynamics at play here. And not in a judgey way, it’s just in my mind everyone would be in a somewhat vulnerable state. Seems like the kind of person who kills his neighbor over tree trimming is way too uptight for a nudist resort. Maybe the Menards ability to fit in, relax, make friends and enjoy the community is what bothered him. Meanwhile he is quietly in the corner uncomfortably raging over minor issues. Moo

Isn't Sparks the boyfriend of the manager whose being cited in the lawsuit the Menards were involved with? Maybe that pushed him over the edge. It must have felt like a personal insult to him.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[starlightstarbright]

You learn interesting and unusual things on WS. I had no clue that there were "family friendly" clothing optional resorts.

I wouldn’t look into it too much or it will freak you out. I’m all for consenting adults doing whatever they want, but it’s a whole different story when you involve children. I have family members who belong to one of these resorts, sounds like a very similar set up with day visitors, vacationers and long term residents (though in FL). Children are also required to be naked unless they are in the pool and need to wear a diaper. It’s grim.

You will not be surprised to hear that my family member has a history of convictions for child sexual abuse, and his partner who attends with him has a history of enabling his abuse. JMO but with complaints about inappropriate sexual behaviour since new management took over, I wouldn’t be shocked at all if a review of this loser’s devices turned up evidence of other crimes. MOO

 

[dkaras]

This is so very sad and scary. I am confused, and apologies if I've missed pertinent details.

This was a nudist resort...like a clothing optional type place? If this guy had an issue with that, why was he there? Is that why he killed this poor couple? I'm in Colorado, there are clothing-optional places here. People can be nude, or have clothes. At least some years ago, on certain days, clothing is required and some years ago they called it "clothing required" and "family days". I truly don't know the details of those resorts or details, but I could probably find out if anyone were interested. But I *think* there are still some clothing optional places here that don't require clothes on any given day, but I have no idea how that relates to children. You know, but given that, I don't even know how that applies here since this couple was elderly and presumably didn't have children running around naked with them, please correct me if I'm wrong.

This is sad and scary to me personally because with elderly parents. Or parent I guess, my Dad passed away earlier this year, but they were RV'ers who went to many different places and my sister and I always were worried about people taking advantage of them or robbing them. Did I miss the motive here? Surely not just because they were naked. ???

And, this might sound terrible sorry, I'm SO SAD about the dog!! Like why??? Poor baby.

 

[Maat99]

This is so very sad and scary. I am confused, and apologies if I've missed pertinent details.

This was a nudist resort...like a clothing optional type place? If this guy had an issue with that, why was he there? Is that why he killed this poor couple? I'm in Colorado, there are clothing-optional places here. People can be nude, or have clothes. At least some years ago, on certain days, clothing is required and some years ago they called it "clothing required" and "family days". I truly don't know the details of those resorts or details, but I could probably find out if anyone were interested. But I *think* there are still some clothing optional places here that don't require clothes on any given day, but I have no idea how that relates to children. You know, but given that, I don't even know how that applies here since this couple was elderly and presumably didn't have children running around naked with them, please correct me if I'm wrong.

This is sad and scary to me personally because with elderly parents. Or parent I guess, my Dad passed away earlier this year, but they were RV'ers who went to many different places and my sister and I always were worried about people taking advantage of them or robbing them. Did I miss the motive here? Surely not just because they were naked. ???

And, this might sound terrible sorry, I'm SO SAD about the dog!! Like why??? Poor baby.

I don’t think anyone is saying that nudity was the motive. It’s just an interesting and perplexing twist (to me anyway) to the standard scenario of a feud between neighbors turning deadly.
And yes, poor dog.

 

[LAhiker]

But doesn’t it seem particularly difficult to hold a grudge when everyone is naked all the time? I’m not really understanding the social dynamics at play here. And not in a judgey way, it’s just in my mind everyone would be in a somewhat vulnerable state. Seems like the kind of person who kills his neighbor over tree trimming is way too uptight for a nudist resort. Maybe the Menards ability to fit in, relax, make friends and enjoy the community is what bothered him. Meanwhile he is quietly in the corner uncomfortably raging over minor issues. Moo

I agree. By saying that Sparks might've been jealous of the Menard's closeness, I did not mean to imply that he might not also have been jealous of their social ease.

I don't think this being a nudist resort would affect the ability to bear a grudge one way or the other. While nudists may be a little more vulnerable because they're naked, presumably that's something one gets used to. Though nudists are presumably open-minded about clothing, and that might extend to other things, I'm sure plenty of them have prejudices about other issues.

JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

I guess you're younger than me. There were many more nudist colonies many years ago.
My take is that these nudists are about respecting the natural body. They don't believe in body-shaming. They believe that God (or simply biology) created us in our natural bodies and we should feel comfortable in our bodies.

I admire and respect their view. Why do we have such a hang up about our bodies and sexuality? Having said that I admit that I am a product of our culture and I would never be brave enough to go out in public without clothes. Yet I understand that my phobia is socially constructed.

I was thinking about this today and wondered if a good percentage of nudists simply don't like the sensation of clothing on them. There are many neurodivergent people who don't like the feeling of some fabrics, tags, restrictions, etc. and their dislike has nothing to do with wanting to be natural or sexual, but more a preference to not feel clothing. That might explain with the attitude at nudist camps tend not to be about having a sexy body, but on being comfortable.

Just a thought bumping around in my head.

jmo

 

[KooshBall]

Isn't Sparks the boyfriend of the manager whose being cited in the lawsuit the Menards were involved with? Maybe that pushed him over the edge. It must have felt like a personal insult to him.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I thought that was a social media rumour? People say he was a loner, doesn't seem like the type to have a girlfriend. I also can't imagine the manager being okay with a hoarder house, let alone date the guy. Just my opinion

 

[mickey2942]

I thought that was a social media rumour? People say he was a loner, doesn't seem like the type to have a girlfriend. I also can't imagine the manager being okay with a hoarder house, let alone date the guy. Just my opinion

When you are in love, or even in love with the whole "idea of being in love" you can ignore everything. Because of course, you ARE IN LOVE!!!

Believe me, I shake my head how I ever even went on a 2nd date with my ex. He was literally SO WEIRD, it is like he could have been carrying a lighted billboard, "weirdo". And I would have ignored it.

 

[mickey2942]

I guess you're younger than me. There were many more nudist colonies many years ago.
My take is that these nudists are about respecting the natural body. They don't believe in body-shaming. They believe that God (or simply biology) created us in our natural bodies and we should feel comfortable in our bodies.

I admire and respect their view. Why do we have such a hang up about our bodies and sexuality? Having said that I admit that I am a product of our culture and I would never be brave enough to go out in public without clothes. Yet I understand that my phobia is socially constructed.

Oh, I remember everything from the '60's. My Aunt was a "Bunny" at the Playboy Club in Lake Geneva, WI. We all dressed up like her, our goals were to grow up and be "Bunnies" too.

I just thought people grew up and became normal. Of course, I should have known better.

 

[truthfinder2019]

Baker said the remains were found in bags located in a concrete bunker underneath Sparks' home.

"We had a city crew with a camera that we use to evaluate sewer blockages. They were able to run that camera into that space and verify the presence of the evidence," said Baker.

"There were no tunnels that we can tell," he added. "There is a space about five feet deep...and it goes back maybe to the back of the property, which is a mobile home."

Human remains found underneath home of suspect in Redlands nudist ranch couple's disappearance

Human remains were found underneath the home of the suspect arrested in connection with the disappearance of a missing Redlands couple, authorities confirmed Friday.

abc7chicago.com

 

[KooshBall]

I learned about nudist colonies when I was 8 years old, from an episode of the Golden Girls

I am hoping a photo of the bunker is eventually released because my brain can't really picture it.

 

[Kemug]

"The remains were found in bags." That sounds ominous to me, like there were more than 2 bags. I know, 2 is plural, but there you go.

 

[crhedBngr]

"The remains were found in bags." That sounds ominous to me, like there were more than 2 bags. I know, 2 is plural, but there you go.

Wondering about that other lady who disappeared before Daniel and Stephanie . . .

JMVHO.

 

[nao]

Moo...think it was just a plain old neighbor feud. They are pretty common. They do end up in deaths quite frequently, naked or not. ...moo

 

[truthfinder2019]

"The remains were found in bags." That sounds ominous to me, like there were more than 2 bags. I know, 2 is plural, but there you go.

I had the same thought….however LE if the bodies would have been placed in pieces in many bags, would probably have not recognized that these were human remians via a camera…they must have seen the long body shape
Sorry this is macabre , also neighbours would have heard noise if the poor couple would have been dismembered in that house

I still wonder how the hell he managed to get them tomhis house. Maybe he took the barking dog and they followed
I wonder if the suspect will ever speak

 

[SophieRose]

Lots of info in this article.

Redlands nudist resort reeling from resident’s arrest on suspicion of killing 2 neighbors

“Ever since I’ve been here, everyone has been so nice and welcoming, so I never expected anything like this to happen,” one resident says.

www.dailybreeze.com

Rodriguez said the Menards complained that management was demanding membership fees from them and restricting the couple’s pool privileges.

”When they would go to the pool someone would harass them for money,” Rodriguez said. “People started poking around their RV and their mobile home, so what we did is we opened up our home to them. They would come every Friday, and if I had extra food, I would share it with them. They were good people. All they wanted to do was sing karaoke and hang out by the pool.”

In March, Storm, the eight-year resident, said management began serving eviction notices and raising rents. Stephanie Menard was one of the more engaged residents, attending meetings they had about the dispute.

In June, residents Wayne and Sandy Marinelli filed a lawsuit against the resort owners, alleging they improperly imposed fees, raised rents and issued eviction notices, said their attorney, Robert Williams of the BWA Law Group in Santa Ana. The next month, a judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking evictions of residents at the resort who refuse to pay certain fees, court records show.

The owners’ attorney responded to the request for the restraining order by filing a document with the court that said the fees and evictions were appropriate.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

He tried to kill himself but the gun did not work…

And he only had one, I suppose, in all of that stuff.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

For those who can't listen:

Redlands FD certified in confined space rescues removed bags of evidence from the space. Can confirm the presence of human remains. Coroner representative on scene.

People asked why they had to break into the house like they did.

LE was on scene a long time attempting contact "for a great deal of time" and couldn't make contact.

They broke a window and entered with a drone and attempted to look around and make contact that way and couldn't get around in there and confirm.

They had reason to believe Sparks was barricaded and armed.

To protect the safety of the officers they removed the front of the house.

He WAS barricaded and armed.

He was armed with a rifle.

Won't confirm how many bodies or condition. The coroner is on scene.

No confirmation on Cuddles on the dog at this time.

No tunnels that they can tell so far, but a space about 5 feet tall that's like a bunker going under/behind the house. Someone about 5 ft could walk around in the concrete bunker. No info on if that space was furnished, etc. (It sounds like it literally goes the length of the mobile home almost?)

A city crew used a camera to check the space to determine there was evidence (bodies) and to determine it was safe to enter.

PIO doesn't know how many bags there were of remains/evidence. That'll be up to the coroner to determine.

The remains were in the bunker.

Suspect hasn't spoken about motive or anything else. Won't speak to other info (from neighbors)

Media trying to confirm if both Menards were killed. He says he can't verify it's them for sure, but it IS human remains and they ARE sure they are dead (I think media is also trying to see if there could possibly be others?)

Someone asks if they were killed in a gruesome fashion. He says, they were killed, that's gruesome, no?

The weapon (rifle) was fired but didn't go off.

Again not commenting on motive.

Won't comment on whether he said he was going to kill himself.

They came back out to follow up yesterday.

WHILE on scene to follow up THAT is when they got the tip about Sparks being on scene and then went into action to make contact, etc.

Well done, LE and tipster.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Prisoners also have human rights. I wonder if this guy could sue LE for destroying his home?

Doubtful. Since he likely killed them there, wouldn't that become property of law enforcement anyway?? (to be auctioned off)

 

[GoBuckeyes]

More on this neighbor IE.

Neighbor arrested on murder charges in deaths of missing couple at nudist resort, police say - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

(CNN) — Police have arrested a man and accused him of killing the couple who lived next door to his house at a California nudist resort.Police<a class="excerpt-read-more"...

wsvn.com

Irene Engkraf, who identified herself as the concerned neighbor who called police, told reporters ahead of the Friday news conference that she and the couple usually attended Sunday church service together.

But last Sunday, the couple didn’t turn up for church and she saw their car sitting “abandoned.”

Using a spare key to enter the Menards’ home, Engkraf saw Stephanie Menard’s purse and both of the Menards’ phones. Then she called 911 and started calling hospitals, searching for news of her friends.

“It felt so odd not to have them sitting right next to me” at their usual Wednesday Bible study, she said. “But I know God’s with them. He’s with them wherever they are.”

Heartbreaking!