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In a perplexing crime news saga that unfolded in August, the disappearance of six individuals from a St. Louis-area home has left authorities grappling with a complex and mysterious case. The missing group comprises one man, Naaman Williams (29), three women – Gerielle German (26), Mikayla Thompson (23), Ma’Kayla Wickerson (25), and two young children, Gerielle's 3-year-old son Ashton Mitchell and Ma’Kayla's 3-year-old daughter Malaiyah. They had been residing in a rented home in Berkeley, Mo., situated near St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
Berkeley police Major Steve Runge has shed light on a compelling theory that links the disappearance to a cult, allegedly associated with Rashad Jamal. Jamal, convicted of child molestation charges in 2023, is presently serving a prison sentence in Georgia. Despite his incarceration, Jamal has amassed a significant following on social media through his spiritual teachings and the University of Cosmic Intelligence, which aims to "enlighten and illuminate minds" of Black and Latino individuals.
In a telephone interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from prison, Jamal vehemently denies being a cult leader and maintains his innocence in the child molestation case. Runge reveals a striking detail that three of Jamal’s followers, including some of the missing adults, have adopted spiritual names – Williams as Anubis Aramean, Thompson as Antu Anum Ahmat, and Wickerson as Intuahma Aquama Auntil.
The quartet from Berkeley has allegedly exhibited behaviors characteristic of the cult's followers, including a complete disconnection from family and loved ones, a desire to go off the grid, quitting jobs, and embracing sovereign citizenship, among other notable changes.
Runge underscores the confounding nature of the cult, stating, “It’s confusing, the internet is [the cult’s] home. It’s not like ‘OK, we’re going to go to St. Louis.’ No, the internet is its home. [Jamal] has 90,000 followers.” The investigation took a serious turn when Wickerson’s mother, Cartisha Morgan, contacted the police on August 12, expressing her concerns about her daughter and the group's disappearance.
Subsequent investigations led detectives to the Berkeley home, where they found no signs of foul play. However, a significant discovery was made in the form of the group's Facebook profiles, which once displayed references to Jamal and were highly active before abruptly ceasing all activity.
As the investigation progressed, Runge states that the last known sighting of the group was at a hotel in Florissant on August 13. Since then, no one has heard from them, adding an additional layer of mystery to an already baffling case.
While Wickerson and Thompson hail from St. Louis, Williams is from Washington D.C., and German originally from Lake Horn, Miss., near Memphis. Thompson, like the other two women, is also a mother, leaving her young child with her mother, according to Runge.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding the case, Runge holds onto the belief that the missing group will resurface, perhaps when financial resources are depleted. He asserts, “I know we’re going to find them. It’s just a matter of going through the motions … we are going to put in the work.”
Cartisha Morgan, speaking to PEOPLE, expresses her worry for both her daughter and granddaughter, suggesting that Wickerson may have been struggling with depression following the birth of her daughter and may have been vulnerable to exploitation.
Morgan, grappling with the situation, says, “I'm not doing so well, but I'm just holding on by my faith. I just wish that people are made aware of this.” Reflecting on her daughter's life, Morgan recalls Wickerson expressing feelings of being overwhelmed as a mother, a cry for help that may have gone unnoticed at the time.
Still, Morgan emphasizes Wickerson's family-oriented nature, making her sudden disappearance all the more astonishing. “Ma’Kayla, we love you and we want the best for you. We would like for her to come back home. We are going to get her the help that we need. Your spiritual journey is your spiritual journey. If you want to be your best self, we understand that, but we love you and we just want you to come back home.
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