Leaders of California religious group arrested after ex-member’s disappearance

(KTLA) – The husband and wife in charge of a religious organization connected to a man’s disappearance in the Inland Empire two years ago have been arrested, though the “prophetess” was released due to what police called a “medical episode.”

Darryl Muzic Martin, 57, of Hemet, was arrested on illegal weapons charges, while 62-year-old Shelly Bailey “Kat” Martin was taken into custody but later released, the Redlands Police Department said in a news release.

The two head a religious group known as His Way Spirit Led Assemblies, which Emilio Ghanem had left before his disappearance in May 2023. He was 40 at the time.

He was last seen at a Redlands Starbucks and was planning on meeting with another person he thought was also looking to leave the group, though a former member told Nexstar’s KTLA they thought it was a ruse.

Ghanem, who had moved to Nashville, was back in Southern California to help build up his pest-control company, which he started in competition with the Martin’s own pest-control business.

This year, Ghanem’s rental truck was discovered, and police said it contains evidence to this case, a possible homicide.

Police have not disclosed evidence of a shooting, but firearms were recovered not just from Darryl Martin, but also in the search of a home in the 1300 block of Christobal Lane in Colton on Tuesday and in Hemet and Anza earlier this month.

“During the Hemet and Anza searches, 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,” police said.

Several people have been detained or arrested, though it’s not clear if they’re directly connected to Ghanem’s disappearance.

Another member of the religious group has been missing since 2019, and Redlands detectives are also working with Claremont Police to investigate that disappearance.

Anyone with information about Ghanem, his disappearance or his whereabouts is asked to call detectives at (909) 551-4424 or email missingperson_emilio@redlandspolice.org.