Slain couple found under neighbor’s home died from blunt force trauma to head, coroner says

A Southern California couple whose bodies were found under their neighbor’s home after being reported missing died from “blunt force trauma to the head,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.

Daniel Menard, 79, and his wife, Stephanie Menard, 73, had been reported missing in late August from their home on a nudist ranch in Redlands, sparking a search by police and concerns by their friends and family.

Less than a week later, police were tipped off that their neighbor, Michael Royce Sparks, 62, in Olive Dell Ranch had admitted killing the couple to a family member and was threatening to harm himself. Police surrounded the home and took him into custody Aug. 29 and discovered the couple’s bodies in a concrete bunker under the home.

Sparks was charged with two counts of murder Sept. 3. The couple’s cause of death was confirmed this week by the county coroner.

The Menards and their pet shih tzu, Cuddles, were reported missing by a friend after the couple missed a church service. Their car was found unlocked down the road from their home, and Stephanie Menard’s purse and their cellphones were found inside their home.

A neighbor told local TV stations that Sparks hated the couple and that they feuded over a tree between their properties. The Redlands Police Department gave no comment when asked for an update on a possible motive Tuesday.

At a candlelight vigil for the couple, friends and neighbors gathered under an Olive Dell Ranch sign with candles, flowers and music to celebrate the Menards’ lives.

“It’s disheartening, it’s uncomfortable,” one neighbor said of the killings. “In a week, we as a community of Olive Dell Ranch lost three members of our family.” He characterized Stephanie Menard, whom he played bingo with, as a spitfire. “She knew what she wanted, she meant what she said, but she always did it caringly.”

Olive Dell Ranch is a residential RV park and “the ideal spot to enjoy the nudist/naturist lifestyle whether visiting for a day or an overnight stay,” according to its website.