Before a recent break in the 2023 disappearance of Emilio Ghanem, there hasn’t been much talk about Ruben Moreno.
But things have changed rapidly in the past few weeks.
Authorities are now trying to determine if there could be a link between Ghanem’s disappearance from a Redlands Starbucks and Moreno’s disappearance from a house in Claremont six years earlier. The men shared one major thing in common: Both were members of a cult-like religious organization called His Way Spirit Led Assemblies, which began in Rialto in 2010 and now operates out of Hemet.
Claremont and Redlands police are investigating the cases independently, but the link between the two men looms large.
-
Emilio Salem Ghanem was 40 when he vanished in Redlands in 2023. (Courtesy of Redlands Police Department)
1 of 6
Emilio Salem Ghanem was 40 when he vanished in Redlands in 2023. (Courtesy of Redlands Police Department)
Expand
The ‘prophetess’
At the center of the ministry is Shelly Bailey “Kat” Martin, 62, known to her flock as the “prophetess.” She reportedly runs His Way with her husband, senior pastor Darryl “Muzic” Martin, 57, of Hemet.
In an interview with the Southern California News Group, one of Ruben Moreno’s brothers, Charlie, recalled visiting Ruben years ago at His Way Spirit Led Assemblies in Colton. His other brother, Rudy, also is a member of the ministry. But Charlie Moreno said he wanted no part of it.
During his visit, he immediately sensed something odd when Shelly Martin began preaching at the pulpit.
“What really threw me off was she claimed to be a prophet, so I was out of there,” Charlie Moreno, 45, said during a telephone interview last week.
Charlie Moreno, an Inland Empire resident, rebuffed His Way’s spiritual teachings, believing they were non-biblical and unorthodox. And because he was reluctant to join the religious organization, he was “shunned” by its members, which he said distanced himself from his brothers.
Ruben vanishes
Ruben Moreno was last seen in December 2017 at a house in the 1300 block of Swarthmore Court in Claremont, where he lived with members of His Way. Moreno then fell off the grid, and nearly two years later, in August 2019, a family member reported him missing to Claremont police.
In the six years since, things grew relatively quiet in the case — until now.
A recent breakthrough in a Redlands police investigation into the May 2023 disappearance of Emilio Salem Ghanem resulted in police raids this month in Hemet, Anza, Colton and Laguna Hills connected to the religious organization. That, in turn, has prompted Claremont police to ramp up its investigation into Ruben Moreno’s disappearance and the Colton police to reexamine the death of a 4-year-old boy whose parents relinquished custody of him to His Way leaders.
His Way Spirit Led Assemblies, headquartered in Rialto, was founded in 2010 and employs five to 10 people. A former member told KTLA that the organization’s leaders, the Martins, have complete control over the group, which is always preparing for the end of times and storing enough packaged food, water and other supplies to last for years. The former member said the organization’s followers refer to Shelly Martin as “Prophetess Martin,” and believe she is God on Earth.
Help sought in disappearance
On Aug. 1, the Claremont Police Department posted a missing person bulletin about Ruben Moreno on its social media platforms, followed by a news release on Aug. 6, in which the department reached out to the public asking for its help locating him. The department is encouraging anyone with information on his whereabouts to call the department at: 909-399-5411. Tips also may be submitted anonymously.
Claremont police issued the news release the same day Redlands police served a search warrant at a Hemet residence connected to His Way, where Ruben Moreno’s brother, Rudy Franco Moreno, 43, and Kelvin Lee Mackey, 58, were arrested for alleged firearms possession offenses. They were both released from custody on Aug. 8, a Riverside County district attorney’s spokesperson confirmed.
Claremont police Sgt. Eddie Lomeli did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails seeking an update on the Moreno case.
Representatives from His Way could not be reached for comment.
Death of 4-year-old
On Thursday, Aug. 28, Colton police announced it had reopened its investigation into the January 2010 death of 4-year-old Timothy Thomas. Police responded to a call at a residence in the 1500 block of N. Latham Avenue, where they found Timothy not breathing. He died at a hospital, and his cause of death was determined to be from a ruptured appendix, Sgt. Mike Sandoval said.
Police believed “negligence” was involved in Timothy’s death and sent a report to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, which declined to file criminal charges due to a lack of evidence.
The Colton Police Department’s announcement came a day after Redlands police released more information from its investigation, including the Aug. 14 arrest of Darryl Martin and the detainment of Shelly “Kat” Martin at the Laguna Hills Lodge on suspicion of illegal weapons possession.
Shelly Martin was released from custody due to a medical emergency, police said.
Firearms recovered in raids
During the police raids in Anza and Hemet, Redlands detectives recovered several illegal firearms, including converted fully automatic rifles, short-barreled rifles and unserialized “ghost guns,” along with electronic devices and other digital evidence. The FBI Safe Streets Task Force was among the agencies that participated in the Anza raid, Redlands police spokesman Carl Baker said.
Baker said no criminal charges have been filed in the case as of yet, and the investigation remains ongoing. He said none of the people arrested or detained have been cooperative in the probe.
Charlie Moreno did not return telephone calls or text messages Friday. But when asked Thursday what he thought happened to his brother, he would only say that he had been in contact with police that day and was updated on the case. He declined to provide details, but sounded ominous.
“Now I know what happened to (Ruben),” he said. “But I’m not going to say. I have to go tell my family.”
