Recently-arrested leaders of IE religious group were suspects in boy's 2010 death, police say
COLTON, Calif. (KABC) -- New details have been released about the death of a 4-year-old boy and the case's connection to a religious group in the Inland Empire.
The leaders of the group have been arrested in a missing person case -- and investigators are looking into the disappearance of another man. Meanwhile, the leaders of the group also have ties to a boy who died in 2010.
Over 15 years after 4-year-old Timothy Thomas was found dead at his home in Colton, detectives have now reopened their investigation.
Colton police are not saying exactly why, only that there is a possible connection to a religious organization known as His Way Spirit Led Assemblies. That organization is also connected to two other potential victims -- a man reported missing in Claremont in 2019, and Emilio Salem Ghanem, who was reported missing in Redlands in 2023.
"We had initially investigated this as a missing persons case, but the way the investigation is leading us has led us to treat it, at least, as a potential homicide investigation," said Carl Baker, a spokesperson for Redlands police.
Redlands police recently served a search warrant at a property believed to be the headquarters of the religious organization in Hemet.
Officers made several arrests throughout Southern California, including two pastors at the organization -- 57-year-old Darryl Muzic Martin, and his wife, 62-year-old Shelly Bailey "Kat" Martin. Kat was later released after a reported medical episode.
"Daryl Martin is the pastor, and Kat Martin, his wife, is known as the prophetess for this religious organization," Baker said.
Charges have yet to be filed against Kat or Darryl in the Redlands missing persons case.
Ghanem had just left the religious organization not long before he went missing. He was last seen at a Redlands Starbucks in 2023.
As for the Colton case, police said the time of Timothy's death, temporary custody of the 4-year-old had been signed over from his birth parents to leaders of His Way Spirit Led Assemblies, according to a news release by Colton police.
He died from appendicitis in January 2010, but police said they sought involuntary manslaughter charges against two people for child neglect for failing to seek medical attention. Ultimately, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office did not file charges because of insufficient evidence.
The two suspects in the boy's death were none other than Darryl and Kat -- the same two church leaders recently arrested by Redlands police.
"We've recovered weapons, including illegal weapons like converted fully-automatic rifles, ghost guns without serial numbers, and sawed-off rifles," Baker said. "Any members or former members of this religious organization who want to come talk to us, we would welcome that."
As for the death of 4-year-old Timothy, Colton police say renewed interest in the case is generating a number of new leads.
