Authorities in Maryland have arrested the apparent leader of a cultlike group known as the Zizians, along with another member of the group. Jack Lasota, 34, and Michelle Zajko, 33, are facing multiple charges including trespassing, obstructing and hindering, and possession of a handgun in the vehicle. A bail hearing for the two individuals is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at Allegany District Court.
The Zizians have been linked to several homicides, including the killing of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland near the Canadian border in January. Maland, 44, was fatally shot in a Jan. 20 shootout following a traffic stop in Coventry, Vermont.
Details of the cross-country investigation remain limited, but it is known that the group consists of young, highly intelligent computer scientists who met online and shared anarchist beliefs. Their online writings cover a range of topics from radical veganism and gender identity to artificial intelligence.
At the center of the group is a figure known as 'Ziz,' who appears to be the leader of the Zizians. LaSota, who published a blog under the name Ziz, expressed radical and sometimes violent views in her writings. She discussed theories about the brain's hemispheres holding separate values and genders, as well as animosity between them.
LaSota, who identifies as a transgender woman, has been unresponsive to media inquiries and missed court appearances in multiple states before her recent arrest. Her attorney declined to comment on any potential connections to the deaths associated with the group.
The investigation into the Zizians and their activities continues as authorities work to unravel the motives behind the violent incidents linked to the group.
