Maryland State Police announced Monday that the alleged leader of the Zizians, a cultlike group, has been arrested in Maryland along with another group member.
Jack LaSota, 34, was taken into custody Sunday along with Michelle Zajko, 33, of Media, Pennsylvania. Both face multiple charges, including trespassing, obstructing justice, and illegal possession of a handgun in a vehicle. Their bail hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 11 a.m. in Allegany District Court.
The Zizians have been linked to the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland near the Canadian border in January, as well as five additional homicides across Vermont, Pennsylvania, and California.
Maland, 44, was fatally shot on January 20 during a traffic stop in Coventry, Vermont, a town about 20 miles from the Canadian border.
The Zizians and Their Leader
Authorities have released limited details about the ongoing cross-country investigation, which gained momentum after Maland’s killing. However, an Associated Press investigation into court records and online posts suggests that the group consisted of highly intelligent young computer scientists, primarily in their 20s and 30s, who met online and embraced anarchist beliefs before turning violent.
Their specific motives remain unclear, but their writings cover a range of topics, including radical veganism, gender identity, and artificial intelligence.
At the center of it all is “Ziz”, the apparent leader of the group, who has been spotted near multiple crime scenes and has ties to several suspects.
LaSota, who identified as a transgender woman and used she/her pronouns, authored a dark and sometimes violent blog under the name “Ziz.” In one post, she theorized that the two hemispheres of the brain could possess separate genders and values and may even “desire to kill each other.”
She often targeted so-called rationalist groups—online communities focused on understanding human cognition through reason and knowledge, some of which also study the risks of artificial intelligence.
Legal Troubles and Arrest
LaSota has not responded to multiple interview requests from the Associated Press in recent weeks. Her attorney, Daniel McGarrigle, declined to comment on whether she is linked to any of the deaths.
Before her arrest, LaSota had missed court appearances in two states, leading to bench warrants for her arrest. McGarrigle confirmed that he has previously represented LaSota but refused to discuss her latest case or confirm her arrest.
