Authorities apprehend suspected head of ‘Zizian’ cult associated with a series of murders in the US

BOSTON – The apparent leader of a cult-like collective identified as the Zizians has been apprehended in Maryland, accompanied by another group member, as reported by Maryland State Police on Monday.

Jack Lasota, aged 34, was taken into custody on Sunday along with Michelle Zajko, 33, hailing from Media, Pennsylvania. Both individuals are facing several charges which include trespassing, obstructing justice, and possessing a handgun within their vehicle.

A bail hearing for Lasota and Zajko is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday at Allegany District Court.

The Zizians group has been connected to the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland, who was shot near the Canadian border in January, along with five other homicides spanning Vermont, Pennsylvania, and California. Maland, aged 44, lost his life in a shootout on January 20 during a traffic stop in Coventry, Vermont, located roughly 20 miles from the Canadian border.

Authorities have provided limited information regarding the extensive investigation that followed Maland’s death. Interviews and a review of court documents reveal a troubling narrative of a collective composed mainly of young, intelligent computer scientists, predominantly in their twenties and thirties. These individuals connected online, shared anarchist ideologies, and gradually became more violent.

While their specific goals remain ambiguous, their online discourse ranges from radical veganism and gender identity topics to discussions surrounding artificial intelligence.

Central to the group is a figure known as “Ziz,” who appears to lead the Zizians and has been spotted at various crime scenes, having connections to numerous suspects.

Lasota has maintained a blog under the alias Ziz, which features dark and occasionally violent content. One notable segment describes a theory suggesting that the two brain hemispheres could hold differing values and genders, often leading to a desire for mutual destruction.

Identifying with she/her pronouns, Lasota claims to be a transgender woman in her writings and has voiced animosity towards perceived adversaries, particularly rationalist groups that primarily engage online and aim to unravel human cognition through logic and knowledge; some of these groups express concerns over the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence.

Lasota has not replied to multiple inquiries sent via email in recent weeks, while her attorney, Daniel McGarrigle, refrained from commenting when asked about her links to any of the homicide cases. Notably, before her recent arrest, she failed to appear in court in two different states, prompting the issuance of bench warrants for her apprehension.

When contacted on Monday, McGarrigle simply verified that he represents Lasota but did not confirm the circumstances of her arrest or provide additional details regarding the case.