RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — The leader of a Hemet-based religious organization under investigation for multiple disappearances has been arrested for murder, according to Riverside County Jail records.
Arrest and Charges
Authorities identified the suspect as 57-year-old Darryl Muzic Martin, the self-proclaimed leader of the group “His Way Spirit Led Assemblies.” Martin was booked into the Riverside County Jail on charges of murder and two weapons violations. Jail records indicate he was arrested on an out-of-county warrant and is being held without bail.
Police also confirmed that another member of the group, 43-year-old Rudy Moreno, has been arrested for murder and weapons charges by the Redlands Police Department.
Ties to Missing Persons Cases
Investigators have been probing the group’s possible connection to the disappearances of two men — 40-year-old Emilio Salem Ghanem and 41-year-old Ruben Moreno.
Ghanem, a Nashville resident and former member of the group, was last seen at a Redlands coffee shop over two years ago, shortly after leaving the organization. Authorities said he had worked for Fullshield, Inc., a pest control business owned and operated by the group that has since been renamed Maxguard.
“He left that organization shortly before his disappearance,” the Redlands Police Department said in a statement.
Ruben Moreno, the brother of Rudy Moreno, was last seen in December 2017 at a residence shared with other group members in Claremont. His family reported him missing in August 2019, prompting the Claremont Police Department to partner with Redlands investigators after finding links between the two cases.
Previous Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
Martin and his wife, Shelly Bailey “Kat” Martin, 62, were arrested in August after Redlands police served a warrant at the Laguna Hills Lodge. Both were charged with illegal weapons possession, though Shelly Martin was later released following a medical episode.
That same month, police also arrested Rudy Moreno and 58-year-old Kelvin Lee Mackey during a search of a Hemet property associated with the group for being felons in possession of firearms.
Connection to 2010 Child Death Case
The Colton Police Department has also reopened a 2010 case involving the death of a 4-year-old boy named Timothy Thomas, who died while in the temporary custody of the Martins. At the time, police suspected child neglect, but no charges were filed after the death was ruled natural due to appendicitis.
With new information linking the incident to “His Way Spirit Led Assemblies,” investigators are now re-examining the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
Widening Investigation
Law enforcement agencies across Redlands, Claremont, Colton, and Hemet are now working together to uncover the full extent of the group’s alleged criminal activities. Detectives say additional arrests and charges may follow as the multi-jurisdictional investigation continues.
Stay with HonkNews.com for ongoing updates as authorities release new details about the murder investigation and the activities of “His Way Spirit Led Assemblies.”