Redlands Police have made three arrests and seized weapons as search warrants were executed in the investigation of the disappearance of Emilio Ghanem, who has been missing since 2023, the department announced on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
Police have not described any of those arrested as suspects in the disappearance of Ghanem, but did state in a news release the arrests and searches were made as part of the missing person investigation.
Ghanem, a 40-year-old (at the time of his disappearance) Nashville man, was last seen visiting a Starbucks in Redlands on May 25, 2023. Prior to his disappearance, he had left the His Way Spirit Led Assemblies religious organization. The organization, based in Hemet, also owns and operates a pest control business, Fullshield Inc., now known as Maxguard. Redlands Police are investigating his disappearance as a potential homicide, according to the department.
Ghanem had worked for Fullshield before leaving the church. Family members told broadcasters that he had moved to Nashville to start his own pest control business, but returned to Southern California to start a satellite office and work with some old customers, which prompted Fullshield to send him a cease and desist letter.
Ghanem was reported missing shortly after he was seen at the Redlands Boulevard Starbucks and a Nissan Frontier pickup truck he had rented was later seen on surveillance footage in Grand Terrace. Police announced in early August that the truck and other evidence had been recovered, but did not disclose where they were found.
Police Tuesday served a search warrant in the 1300 block of Christobal Lane in Colton, where they recovered several weapons and “briefly” detained a man, who was later released.
On Aug. 14, investigators served a search warrant at the Laguna Hills Lodge, a hotel in Laguna Hills, where they recovered electronic devices and took Shelly Bailey “Kat” Martin and her husband Darryl “Muzic” Martin, leaders of His Way Spirit Led Assemblies, into custody.
Darryl Martin, 57, was arrested on suspicion of violations involving weapons listed as a short-barrel rifle and a machine gun, the San Bernardino County Jail booking log shows. Court records show he has not been charged by prosecutors.
Shelly Martin, 62, was taken into custody, but released after a medical episode with no charges. The Martins also go by Pastor Muzic and Prophetess/Pastor Kathryn Martin.
On Aug. 6, police searched residences in Hemet and Anza in connection to the investigation into Ghanem’s disappearance. Two Hemet residents, Rudy Franco Moreno, 43, and Kelvin Lee Mackey, 58, were arrested on suspicion of charges related to felons possessing firearms. Moreno and Mackey have been released from custody and no charges have been filed, police said Wednesday.
Police recovered a host of illegal weapons, including converted fully automatic rifles, short-barreled rifles and “ghost guns” without serial numbers, as well as electronic devices and unspecified digital evidence in Hemet and Anza.
Moreno and Mackey are members of His Way Spirit Led Assemblies and employees of the pest control company, according to Redlands Police.
A request for comment was placed with His Way Spirit Led Assemblies.
Redlands Police are also working with the Claremont Police Department to investigate the 2019 disappearance of Ruben Moreno, another man who had been associated with the religious group.
Police ask anyone with information about Ghanem, his disappearance or whereabouts to contact the Redlands Police Detective Bureau at 909-551-4424 or missingperson_emilio@redlandspolice.org