Murder Charges Filed Against Leaders of High-Control Religious Group in San Bernardino County
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CA — Law enforcement agencies from multiple jurisdictions conducted a joint operation on Thursday, December 11, 2025, resulting in the arrest of several individuals in the cities of Hemet and Colton. The operation targeted members of a group identified by authorities as His Way Spirit Led Assemblies in connection with two separate homicide investigations and various firearms charges.
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- Suspect Andre Thomas
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- Suspect Shelley Martin
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- Suspect Darryl Martin
The multi-agency effort involved the Redlands Police Department, Colton Police Department, the California Department of Justice, the Riverside Sheriff’s Office, and the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.
The arrests are linked to two active cases. The first involves the disappearance and death of 40-year-old Emilio Ghanem, who was last seen at a Starbucks in Redlands in May 2023. Following a missing person report, the Redlands Police Department, the California Department of Justice, and the California Highway Patrol conducted an investigation that transitioned into a homicide case.
On December 15, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against two primary defendants in the Ghanem case:
- Shelley Bailey “Kat” Martin, 62: Charged with PC 187 Murder and PC 182 Conspiracy to Commit Murder.
- Rudy Moreno, 43: Charged with PC 187 Murder and PC 182 Conspiracy to Commit Murder.
- Four additional suspects were arrested on related weapons charges during the execution of the operation, however their identities have not been made public at this time.
The second investigation involves the 2010 death of 4-year-old Timothy Thomas. The Colton Police Department led the inquiry into the 15-year-old case, which resulted in murder charges against three individuals:
- Shelley Bailey “Kat” Martin
- Darryl Muzic Martin, 58
- Andre Thomas (former group member)
Redlands Police Chief Rachel Tolber stated that the arrests were the result of an extensive and complex investigation. “The information detectives developed led to the arrests of two suspects on murder charges and four additional suspects on related weapons charges,” Tolber said. She noted the collaboration between local and state partners in the transition of the case from a missing person inquiry to a homicide investigation.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta highlighted the role of the Department of Justice’s Special Operations Unit in the Ghanem case, stating that the state agency worked closely with local law enforcement to reach this stage of the proceedings. Colton Police Chief Anthony Vega commented on the 2010 case involving Timothy Thomas, crediting the persistence of detectives for gathering the information necessary to file charges after more than a decade.
During the operation, victim advocates from the District Attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services and a crisis response canine were on-site. These services provided food, water, and resource referrals to members of the high-control group present during the arrests.
Authorities are seeking further information regarding these cases. Individuals who may have information or believe they are victims are encouraged to contact the Redlands Police Department at (909) 551-4424 or the Colton Police Department at (909) 370-5019.
