Police are Investigating the disappearance of 6 Missouri People Tied to an Online Cult

BERKELEY, MO (The Lake Tribune) – The Berkeley Police Department is currently investigating the disappearance of six individuals, including two children, from eastern Missouri. These cases, unfolding since last summer, are believed to be connected to an online cult headed by Rashad Jamal, a convicted child molester.

Family members assert that their missing relatives are followers of Jamal, who is known as a rapper and self-styled new-age prophet. Jamal is currently serving an 18-year sentence in Georgia, following his conviction for child molestation and cruelty.

The peculiar behaviors of the missing individuals, observed before their disappearance, have raised alarms. “Neighbors reported seeing these people outside daily, worshipping the sun,” said Maj Steve Runge of the Berkeley Police Department to Fox2 News of St. Louis. Additional reports include instances of the group acting unusually in the rain and engaging in odd activities around their home.

The missing are identified as Ma’Kayla Wickerson, 25, her daughter Malaiyah, 3, Gerielle German, 26, her son Ashton Mitchell, 3, and adults Naaman Williams, 29, and Mikayla Thompson, 23. They disappeared from a rented house in Berkeley, shortly after receiving eviction notices.

Wickerson’s mother, Cartisha Morgan, expressed deep concern to KFVS12 News: “She doesn’t usually do things like this. She’s usually very family-oriented. So for her to cut off everybody, quit her job, leave all her belongings behind is not the norm,” Morgan said. “I just want to know that they’re safe. If she chooses to stay away or off the grid, just let us know that you’re safe.”

Jamal runs a website named the University of Cosmic Intelligence, attracting a large following online with conspiracy theories and unconventional beliefs. Despite his significant online presence, Jamal, in an interview with the St Louis Post-Dispatch, denied any connection to the missing group: “I am pretty sure I have never met these people,” Jamal stated. “I get on my phone and I give a lecture. I go live, and then I get off the phone. I do not know the people that are in my livestream. It’s too many people.”

As the search for the missing continues, the community and law enforcement are urging anyone with information to come forward. The situation underscores the growing concerns regarding the influence of online groups and the potential risks they pose.

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