The Police Department in Berkeley, Missouri, has launched a search for six missing individuals, including two minors, who were last seen in the St. Louis region on August 13, 2023.
The missing persons have been identified as Mikayla Thompson, 25, Naaman Williams, 30, Gerrielle German, 27, two-year-old Ashton Williams, Ma’Kayla Wickerson, 36, and three-year-old Malaiyah Wickerson. The group was last reported at a Quality Inn Hotel on 55 Dunn Road in Florissant, Missouri.
Berkeley Police Maj. Steve Runge informed NBC News that the individuals in question have disconnected their phones, ceased their activity on social media platforms, and have become unreachable by any means. Even attempts to send them funds through a money transfer application were unsuccessful as they have not claimed the money. It’s as if they have completely disappeared.
All six individuals are known to be adherents of Rashad Jamal White, who self-identifies as a prophet and rapper. White is the founder of The University of Cosmic Intelligence, a digital spiritual group with a substantial following across the country.
Rashad Jamal, with a social media following in the tens of thousands, is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence in Georgia for child molestation and cruelty to children.
According to videos and the organization’s website, Jamal’s teachings propose that Black and Latino people are deities, created in the likeness of a supreme entity.
He encourages “shadow work in the spiritual realm” and differentiates between “high-vibration” individuals, who seek connection with the Earth and their ancestral pasts, and “low-vibration” individuals, who add to the world’s toxicity.
The University of Cosmic Intelligence markets crystals, necklaces, and bracelets at distinct prices, such as $333.33, $222, and $119.99. It also provides enrollment packages for its teachings. Jamal has solicited donations through YouTube to support his family.
There’s growing concern over Jamal’s influence. Fox News Digital reported in 2022 that several of Jamal’s followers were involved in two separate murder cases in Alabama.
Damien Winslow Washam was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his mother, while Krystal Diane Pinkins and Yasmine Hider were convicted for the murder of a Florida college student, Adam Sinjee, after staging a car breakdown and robbing him in the Talladega National Forest in Alabama.
The missing group’s neighbors have reported seeing them meditating naked in their yard.
The Berkeley Police Department has noted a significant disconnect between these cult members and their families and friends. Some have adopted behaviors such as accepting sovereign citizenship, polygamy, and living off the grid.
Law enforcement is appealing to the public for any information regarding the missing individuals’ whereabouts. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to reach out to the Berkeley Police Department or their local police station.
