Bryson Muir found; former NFL player Daniel Muir in custody: Indiana police

LOGANSPORT, Ind. (WXIN) — The 14-year-old son of a former Indianapolis Colts player has been found more than two weeks after he was reported missing, and his parents are among several people now in custody.

Bryson Muir appeared “safe and sound,” according to Indiana State Police. He was released into the care of the Cass County Department of Child Services.

His father, Daniel Muir, faces preliminary charges of domestic violence (a class A misdemeanor) and obstructing justice (a level 6 felony), while his mother, Kristen Muir, faces preliminary charges of obstructing justice (a level 6 felony), ISP said. Details about the other people arrested Wednesday have not yet been released.

Arrest warrants were issued for both parents. Police took them to the Cass County Jail. A judge said no bond would be set for the Muirs Wednesday afternoon, citing flight risks.

It happened during an Indiana State Police raid in Logansport, about 80 miles north of Indianapolis.

Three SWAT teams, detectives, K9 units and a bomb squad were prepared to search multiple buildings on the property owned by the Servant Leader’s Foundation, a nonprofit religious group. The operation began around 6 a.m. Wednesday, ISP said.

“When something like this happens, we have to be well prepared to go into the unknown,” said Sgt. Steven Glass of ISP. “Ultimately, everything went well and everyone is safe, including Bryson.”

Glass described the operation as “peaceful” and added that police immediately made contact with the Muirs after the warrants were executed.

The Logansport Police Department and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were also on scene. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office provided additional resources.

The footage shows that numerous police cars and an IMPD armored vehicle arrived at the scene.

Daniel Muir and his wife Kristen were scheduled to appear in court Tuesday but failed to show up, prompting ISP to prepare for Wednesday’s operation.

What led to the raid on Logansport

Before Wednesday’s events, Bryson was last seen on June 16. His grandmother, Cheryl Wright, said the teen may have been a victim of abuse at the hands of his father, Daniel Muir, a former Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman.

Wright reported the possible abuse to police after finding her grandson with a black eye. He was last seen in Cleveland, Ohio, leaving with his mother, Kristen Muir, in a white 2015 Chevrolet Suburban.

Wright previously told Nexstar station WXIN that she contacted police and took photos of her grandson’s injuries.

“His face was battered. When I brought him in, he had a black eye and a busted lip,” Wright said. “His whole face was swollen. I can only imagine how many times he got hit in the face to get that.”

Bryson told her that his father was responsible for the injuries. He did not reveal what led to it.

According to court documents, Daniel Muir allegedly confessed to beating his son in a recorded phone conversation.

“I kicked his ass like a grown man,” Daniel Muir reportedly said in the recording.

Wright believes her grandson was “brainwashed” by his parents and the religious group they belong to.

Police quickly found Bryson’s mother and the Suburban, but the 14-year-old was not in the vehicle. Investigators believe he may have been moved to another vehicle.

Ongoing Dispute, Silver Alert

Investigators say they were unable to contact Bryson’s parents for several days, despite visiting the family’s Logansport home multiple times. On June 27, there was a change in the case, with the Indiana State Police saying the Muirs were “beginning to cooperate.”

Court documents say the Muirs met with investigators at the Cass County DCS office on June 27, but their son was not with them.

The Muirs showed police a video of Bryson standing in an “undisclosed location, possibly a wooded area.” In the video, Bryson reportedly said, “My father did not hit me in the eye.”

Investigators spoke to both Daniel and Kristen but found their versions of events were inconsistent.

Any optimism about cooperation quickly dissipated shortly thereafter. On July 28, Daniel and Kristen Muir, through their lawyer, agreed to meet with police at Peru Post and take their son with them. However, an hour before the scheduled meeting, ISP reported that they had backed out and refused to turn Bryson over.

That prompted a statewide Silver Alert, which Bryson was last seen on June 16 and indicated he may be in “extreme danger and may require medical attention.” The Silver Alert has since been canceled.

More about Logansport real estate

Signs on the isolated Logansport property make no mention of the Servant Leader’s Foundation, which records show is the registered owner of the property. Many signs read “Welcome to Straitway Indiana Goshen” along with a coat of arms.

Other signs warn against trespassing and state that the area is private property.

An Internet search leads to Straitway Ministries, a Tennessee-based religious group that describes itself as “a nation of Hebrew Israelites who keep the commandments; obedient to Jah (God) and our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

The group’s official YouTube page features a video from four years ago showing a man resembling Daniel Muir giving a sermon to a crowd.

Muir played football at Kent State before being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Green Bay Packers in 2007. He then spent four seasons with the Colts before playing in three games for the New York Jets and 10 for the then-Oakland Raiders. During his career, Muir signed with the then-St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans. Muir last played in the NFL in 2013.

Some have called the group a cult; Bryson’s grandmother feared her grandson was being “brainwashed” and couldn’t bring herself to leave his parents.

“Bryson is so conditioned or brainwashed into their way of life that he wanted to come back,” Wright said earlier this week. “When I tried to get my daughter to leave, he ran out of the house and left with them.”

Muir Family Response, Straitway Truth

“The Muir family, they were wrongly targeted and are not guilty of any wrongdoing or illegal activity. They are entitled to their day in court and due process,” Victor Vining, a defense attorney representing Daniel and Kristen Muir, told reporters after the couple appeared before a judge Wednesday.

During the hearing, a judge denied bail to Daniel or Kristen Muir, deeming them flight risks. The parents were also ordered to have no contact with their son. They are due back in court on July 16.

Pastor Charles Dowell, who runs Straitway Truth, posted several videos on YouTube after the raid. In one video, Dowell said not to trust news reports or police reports regarding allegations involving the Muir family.

“You can be sure Straitway is not going down without a fight,” Dowell said. “We are coming. You can be sure we are coming.”

Sports Illustrated magazine has already published a lengthy report detailing the activities of Straitway Truth and Pastor Dowell, with multiple people accusing the religious group of being a cult and making other disturbing accusations.