Crime
Rebecca & Jake Haro charged with murder in Riverside County
MORENO VALLEY, Calif. – The parents of 7-month-old Emmanuel Haro, who is now presumed dead, have been formally charged with murder, prosecutors confirmed Monday.
Rebecca Haro, 41, and Jake Haro, 32, are also facing charges of filing a false police report in connection with their son’s disappearance.
Both are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Jail records show Rebecca is being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center, while Jake is housed at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility.
Authorities confirmed that both are being held without bail.
The developments come nearly two weeks after Emmanuel was first reported missing, prompting a large-scale search.
On Sunday afternoon, more than a dozen vehicles from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department were seen stationed along the 60 Freeway in a remote area east of Moreno Valley, known locally as the Badlands.
Investigators, assisted by cadaver dogs, combed through steep terrain but did not recover the child’s remains.
Jake Haro, dressed in a red jail-issued jumpsuit, was present at the scene with investigators. Authorities clarified that while he accompanied deputies, he did not assist in the search. After an extensive effort, search teams departed without locating Emmanuel. Officials later stated: “The search has concluded, and Emmanuel was not located. The investigation to find Emmanuel continues.”
The case drew public attention after Rebecca Haro initially made an emotional plea for help, claiming she had been assaulted in a Yucaipa parking lot on August 14 and that her baby had been abducted. Just one day later, in an interview with Eyewitness News, Jake Haro spoke of his son in the past tense, telling reporters: “He was a healthy baby. He was crawling. He was kicking. He was playing with his toys. He was a 7-month-old, he was our 7-month-old.”
Within a week of that interview, both parents were arrested at their home in Cabazon. A memorial for Emmanuel has since grown outside the residence, with community members and strangers leaving flowers and tributes.
The investigation is being led by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, as the missing person report originated in Yucaipa. However, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is now overseeing the case after investigators determined the alleged homicide likely occurred in Riverside County.
Authorities say they have executed multiple search warrants at the Haro residence, reviewed extensive surveillance video, and conducted searches in both Yucaipa and Cabazon.
Court records reveal that Jake Haro previously pleaded guilty in 2018 to a charge of willful cruelty to a child.
Authorities also confirmed that the couple has been linked to additional reports of abuse.
On Thursday, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies responded to a child abuse call at a home in the 23000 block of Cottonwood Avenue in Moreno Valley, which officials have confirmed is connected to the Haro investigation.
The abuse investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released additional details.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.