by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

Though Claremont Police stopped short of releasing new information regarding the search for a Perris man reported missing six years ago, they said last week that the investigation has heated up.

Ruben Moreno, whose last known address was in Perris, California, was 41 at the time of his  disappearance in August 2019.

“There have been developments in the case this week; however it remains an active investigation,” Claremont Public Information Officer Bevin Handel wrote in an email. “We are unable to comment on the details of the investigation at this time.”

Police said Moreno was last seen in December 2017 in the 3900 block of Swarthmore Court in Claremont, a gathering place for the Hemet-based His Way Spirit Led Assemblies religious organization.

“At the time of his disappearance, Ruben was affiliated with the religious group and was living at the residence with other members of the religious organization,” a CPD spokesperson wrote in a statement. “The group no longer occupies or meets at that residence. The circumstances surrounding Ruben’s disappearance remain under investigation.”

Claremont police would not comment if foul play was suspected.

In a related case, on August 1 Redlands Police Department issued new details in the missing person case of Emilio Ghanem, a Nashville man who was reported missing on May 2023. Ghanem, 40 at the time of his disappearance, was last seen driving a rented Nissan Frontier through Grand Terrace, which detectives recovered.

“Ghanem was a member of ‘His Way Spirit Led Assemblies,’ a religious organization based in the City of Hemet, California,” Redlands police wrote in a statement. “He left that organization shortly before his disappearance. Ghanem also worked for Fullshield, Inc., a pest control business owned and operated by the group. The business now operates under the name ‘Maxguard.’”

“We are aware of public interest in possible connections between this case and a separate missing persons investigation out of Redlands,” Claremont police wrote in a statement. “At this time, the only known similarity between the two cases are the individuals’ ties to His Way Spirit Led Assemblies.” The statement followed CPD’s August 1 call for public assistance in finding Moreno.

Redlands investigators said they only recently learned that Moreno was a member of the same religious group as Ghanem.

Police described Moreno as Hispanic, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes; Ghanem was described as white, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 130 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes.

Tips can be called in to Claremont police at (909) 399-5411, or the Redlands Police Detective Bureau at (909) 551-4424.