Jack Amadeus LaSota was presumed dead after a supposed boating accident in San Francisco Bay in 2022. Yet, months later, LaSota surfaced in connection with a series of violent incidents—including multiple murders across three states—linked to an underground group of highly educated, radicalized individuals known as the “Zizians.”
Once an AI researcher with stints at NASA and Google, LaSota’s transformation from a promising tech talent to the leader of a so-called “death cult” has left investigators piecing together a bizarre and violent trail of destruction.
A violent web: The six deaths linked to the Zizians
Authorities are investigating LaSota’s ties to six suspicious deaths, which span multiple states and involve the same radical offshoot of the rationalist movement. The cases include:
- A landlord’s near-fatal attack in Vallejo, CA (2022): Curtis Lind, 80, was impaled with a Samurai sword during a dispute with tenants connected to the Zizians. One of his assailants, LaSota’s known associate, was shot and killed in self-defense.
- Execution-style killings in Pennsylvania (2022): Elderly couple Richard and Rita Zajko were found shot to death in their home, with a firearm traced back to a person of interest in the cult.
- The assassination of Lind in 2025: Two years after surviving his brutal attack, Lind was murdered in broad daylight just before he was set to testify against his previous assailants.
- A deadly shootout at the Vermont border (2025): A U.S. Border Patrol agent and a cult member, Felix Baukholt, were killed in a gunfight during an immigration stop. Baukholt and an accomplice, Teresa Youngblut, were armed with weapons purchased by another Zizian member wanted in Pennsylvania.
Each of these cases has direct ties to LaSota’s close circle—raising chilling questions about the extent of their influence.
How an AI whiz became a fugitive
LaSota, the child of an AI researcher, followed in their father’s footsteps before becoming deeply involved in the rationalist community in Silicon Valley. Former associates say LaSota’s beliefs became increasingly extreme, pushing radical ideas about morality and human consciousness.
In 2019, LaSota and three followers stormed an event hosted by the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), protesting what they claimed was institutional corruption. This marked a turning point, and the group’s rhetoric grew more militant.
By 2022, LaSota had allegedly faked their own death—only to resurface as a wanted figure in two states. With a growing body count tied to the Zizian network, law enforcement is working to track down LaSota, who remains on the run.
Where is LaSota now?
Despite multiple encounters with law enforcement, LaSota has repeatedly evaded capture. A bench warrant was issued after skipping court appearances in Pennsylvania, and investigators believe the fugitive may still be active in Zizian operations.
Authorities are now working to unravel the full scope of the group’s activities, as fears grow that the Zizians are more than just a fringe movement—they may be a growing underground network with deadly reach.
