Beyond Belief: The Shocking Murder Inside a London "Cult"

A recent march in Croydon by members of Israel United in Christ (IUIC), a Hebrew Israelite group, serves as a stark reminder of a religious organization that has faced intense scrutiny. Despite being accused of operating as a cult, IUIC continues its mission in east London, raising disquieting questions in the wake of a brutal murder.

Joy Morgan, a bright 20-year-old from Battersea, joined IUIC in 2016 following a period of immense personal loss. According to friends and family, she became increasingly isolated, with the church seemingly replacing her original support network. In a video released by IUIC, she states, “IUIC is my family and like the best family that I’ve ever had.” Just months after this statement, she was murdered by a fellow member, Shohfah-El Israel.

The motivation for her murder has never been fully revealed, and a coroner's inquest into her death found that the specific cause was inconclusive, though it did not rule out suffocation following a potential head injury. Shohfah-El Israel was convicted of her murder in August 2019, receiving a minimum prison sentence of 17 years. The judge, in his sentencing, noted Israel's "cruel and cowardly" refusal to reveal the location of her body, which caused "continuing distress and suffering" to her family.

The gruesome details continued to unfold months after her conviction. Joy's body was eventually discovered in woodland near Stevenage in October 2019, wrapped in bin bags and hidden under a mound of logs.

The Complexities of Faith and Vulnerability

The Hebrew Israelite movement, which posits that Black people are the true descendants of the ancient Israelites, has a complex history. It emerged from the late 19th-century as a response to the disenfranchisement of Black Americans. Academics, such as Professor Jacob S. Dorman of the University of Nevada, emphasize that the belief system taps into a deep need for identity and a sense of historical place. While not all Hebrew Israelite groups are considered extremist, IUIC is widely regarded by anti-extremism experts as being on the more radical end of the spectrum, with accusations of extreme misogyny, antisemitism, and anti-white beliefs.

The rise of groups like IUIC in the UK reflects a broader societal context. A recent report from the Centre for Social Justice highlighted that 36% of Black Londoners live in poverty, a figure that underscores the economic and social struggles that can make individuals vulnerable to a group offering community and certainty.

Rachael Reign, founder of Surviving Universal UK, notes that spiritually abusive groups often "lovebomb" vulnerable people seeking belonging. This is particularly relevant in the Black British community, where faith is deeply embedded in the culture, with almost half of young Black people attending church monthly. The lack of alarm bells for parents when a child joins a church makes this community particularly susceptible to exploitation by these groups.

Legal and Political Implications

In the years since Joy's death, IUIC has become more insular. The UK police's ability to intervene is limited, as there is very little a legal framework can do when it comes to faith groups. However, the situation is different elsewhere.

In a significant development, France recently banned IUIC, with a government decree describing the church as "an organisation propagating antisemitic and misogynistic ideology, and inciting hatred and violence." The French government's actions have put a spotlight on the group's activities and raised questions about whether the UK should follow a similar path.

The UK's lack of action has been criticized by some who believe the government is failing to protect vulnerable communities from spiritual abuse. This crisis, as seen through the tragic case of Joy Morgan, is a profound story about identity, belonging, and the devastating cost of a community that promises acceptance but delivers control.

The latest investigative podcast, The Missing Sister, which launched on Wondery+ on September 10, 2025, explores Joy's story in depth, with the blessing of her family. It's an under-reported story that seeks to uncover more about IUIC and its origins, with the podcast's creator, Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, even traveling to the U.S. to attempt to confront the head of the church, Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel. The family's message to the podcast was clear: "The church needs to be taken down. They ruined our lives."

This video provides an analysis of the UK's diplomatic relations with Israel and Palestine, which is contextually relevant to the discussion of religious and political groups in the UK.

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Source: Evening Standard