Leaders of Hemet religious group arrested in Redlands missing person probe

REDLANDS, Calif. — Detectives investigating the 2023 disappearance of a Nashville man, Emilio Salem Ghanem, last seen in Redlands have made several arrests and seized weapons and electronics during a series of search warrants across Southern California this month, police said.

Redlands police said detectives served a warrant Aug. 26 at a home in the 1300 block of Christobal Lane in Colton, where several weapons were recovered. A man at the home was detained and later released.

On Aug. 14, detectives served a warrant at the Laguna Hills Lodge in Orange County, where they seized electronic devices and arrested two people. Police said Darryl Muzic Martin, 57, of Hemet, was booked on illegal weapons charges. His wife, 62-year-old Shelly Bailey “Kat” Martin, was also taken into custody but later released after a medical episode.

Earlier this month, police served warrants at homes in Hemet and Anza, where they recovered firearms, including converted fully automatic rifles, short-barreled rifles and unserialized “ghost guns,” along with electronics and digital evidence. Two Hemet men, 43-year-old Rudy Franco Moreno and 58-year-old Kelvin Lee Mackey, were arrested Aug. 6 on charges of being felons in possession of firearms.

The investigation centers on the May 25, 2023, disappearance of 40-year-old Ghanem. He was reported missing shortly after visiting a Starbucks at 625 E. Redlands Blvd. A rented Nissan Frontier pickup he was driving was later spotted in Grand Terrace and subsequently recovered by detectives.

Police said Ghanem had been a member of “His Way Spirit Led Assemblies,” a Hemet-based religious organization led by Darryl and Shelly Martin, and worked for its affiliated pest control business, formerly Fullshield, Inc., now operating as Maxguard. Ghanem left the group shortly before he went missing.

Redlands detectives are also coordinating with Claremont police, who continue to investigate the 2019 disappearance of another man associated with the same religious group.

Ghanem is described as white, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, 130 pounds, with hazel eyes and black hair. He was 40 years old at the time of his disappearance. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Redlands Police Detective Bureau at 909-551-4424 or email missingperson_emilio@redlandspolice.org.