IE judge orders church leaders to stand trial on murder charges in deaths of boy, former member

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- A San Bernardino County judge ruled that there is enough evidence for leaders of a religious organization known as His Way Spirit Led Assemblies to stand trial on murder charges in connection with the deaths of a 4-year-old boy and a former church member.

Darryl Martin and his wife, Katherine Martin -- described in court as the prophetess of the organization -- are charged in the deaths of 40-year-old Emilio Ghannem and 4-year-old Timothy Thomas. Two other church leaders, Rudy Moreno and Ramon Duran, are also charged with Ghannem's murder.

During a preliminary hearing, prosecutors argued that Timothy died of appendicitis while living with the Martins in January 2010. Prosecutor Justin Crocker said the child showed clear signs of serious illness and that the Martins failed in their responsibility to care for him.

"He was acting lethargic. He was unable to walk or having trouble walking. He was vomiting. He was not eating. He was crying out for help," said Crocker. "And the Martins had accepted responsibility to take care of him, and they failed that obligation."

Prosecutors argued that the Martins did not believe in modern medicine and instructed church members living with Thomas in a Colton home not to take him to a hospital, but instead to pray for him.

"The theme of this entire preliminary hearing, and the Martin's for the last twenty years in this church, is control," Crocker said. "They assert control over their members by mandating what they're allowed to do and not allowed to do."

Defense attorney Eugene Carson argued that the Martins did not personally observe Thomas in pain and only learned about his condition from other church members.

"Negligence is not murder. Poor judgment is not murder; a mistaken belief that a child has a stomach virus is not murder," Carson said.

A man whose young brother died nearly 16 years ago is speaking out after murder charges were filed against his father and the leaders of a mysterious SoCal religious group.

Judge Colin Bilash rejected that argument.

"This child died because your clients didn't do what they agreed to do," Bilash said.

The hearing also addressed the death of Ghannem, who Redlands police say became involved in a business dispute with his former church. Prosecutors said Ghannem disappeared after meeting one of the defendants at a coffee shop in May 2023.

His burned truck was later found in the desert with a shell casing in the back, according to prosecutors.

Defense attorneys said none of the defendants have criminal records and argued there is no evidence they committed murder.

"This is a church that came from Tennessee and started singing on the beach," said an attorney for church leader Rudy Moreno, who along with church member Ramon Duran, and Darryl and Katherine Martine are all charged with the murder of Emilio Ghannem.

"And there's no evidence to suggest how they would go from a church, from taking donations and singing on the beach, to 'Emilio Ghannem is competing with our business, he may steal $100,000 and so let's rid of him'," Carson said.

Prosecutors disputed that characterization.

A former member of a mysterious religious organization whose leaders are now facing murder charges is now speaking out about his time in the group.

"This was a church group that at some point evolved into a high-control operation that Mr. Duran himself described as cult-like," Crocker said.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Bilash ruled that there is sufficient evidence for the defendants to be held to answer on the murder charges. The defendants are scheduled to return to court next month.