Another radical fringe group, another trail of destruction left in its wake. This time, it’s a so-called “anarchist vegan” cult that has been linked to multiple homicides—including the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David “Chris” Maland near the Canadian border last month. Now, two of its alleged members, Jack “Ziz” LaSota and Michelle Zajko, have been arrested in Maryland.
The Maryland State Police confirmed that LaSota, 34, and Zajko, 32, were taken into custody on Sunday afternoon on a number of unrelated charges, including trespassing, obstruction, and firearm possession. But while these charges may seem minor, authorities are making it clear that both have ties to a far more sinister criminal operation.
LaSota and Zajko are associated with the “Zizians,” a cult-like group that blends radical AI theories, extreme veganism, and anarchist ideology into what can only be described as dangerous fanaticism.
According to a former friend of the pair, Jessica Taylor, the group’s philosophy justifies violence under the guise of a twisted moral framework: “They have this sort of anarchist, vegan critique of society,” Taylor told the Boston Globe. “You might do some violence that your society disapproves of, but your society does violence anywhere.”
That warped logic has left at least six people dead. Authorities have tied the Zizians to Maland’s killing, along with five other homicides in Vermont, Pennsylvania, and California. And while LaSota and Zajko are now in custody, it’s clear this is just the beginning of a larger investigation.
Maland, a decorated Air Force veteran and longtime federal agent, was murdered on January 20 near the Canada-Vermont border during a traffic stop. The alleged shooters, German national Felix “Ophelia” Bauckholt and University of Washington student Teresa “Milo” Consuelo Youngblut, ambushed and killed him in cold blood.
Zajko, who was already the subject of a nationwide manhunt, is now suspected of purchasing the firearms used in Maland’s killing. According to court documents, she bought the .40-caliber and .380-caliber handguns in Vermont just weeks before the murder. Prosecutors have also revealed that she is a “person of interest” in a double homicide in Pennsylvania and another murder in California—though they have yet to disclose further details.
Authorities are now coordinating with federal law enforcement to piece together the full extent of the group’s activities. While the Zizians may claim to stand for some bizarre ideological cause, the reality is far simpler: they are violent extremists, leaving behind a trail of death and chaos.
And yet, where is the media outrage? If this were a far-right group, you can bet every network would be plastering their faces on TV 24/7. But because these killers come from a different ideological background, there’s radio silence from the usual talking heads.
