Alleged Leader of ‘Zizian’ Cult Arrested in Maryland, Linked to Multiple Homicides

Jack LaSota, also known as Ziz, is the alleged leader of the US-based cultlike group known as the Zizians.

The suspected leader of a cultlike group known as the Zizians, Jack LaSota, has been arrested in Maryland along with another group member, Maryland state police confirmed Monday.

LaSota, 34, and Michelle Zajko, 33, of Media, Pennsylvania, were taken into custody on Sunday and face multiple charges, including trespassing, obstruction, and possession of a handgun in a vehicle. A bail hearing for both is scheduled for Tuesday at Allegany District Court.

The Zizians have been tied to the killing of U.S. Border Patrol agent David Maland in Vermont in January, as well as five other homicides across Vermont, Pennsylvania, and California. Maland, 44, was fatally shot during a traffic stop on January 20 in Coventry, Vermont, near the Canadian border.

Authorities have released limited details on the investigation, but reports suggest the group consists of young, highly intelligent computer scientists with anarchist beliefs. Their online writings cover radical veganism, gender identity, and artificial intelligence, though their broader goals remain unclear.

LaSota, who published under the name "Ziz," has been described as the group's leader and was reportedly seen near multiple crime scenes. Her online writings include violent rhetoric and theories about brain hemispheres holding separate values and genders that "often desire to kill each other."

LaSota, a transgender woman who used she/her pronouns, has evaded authorities for weeks, missing court appearances in two states, leading to multiple bench warrants. Her attorney, Daniel McGarrigle, declined to confirm her arrest or comment on any connection to the homicides.