1776Reporting
A self-proclaimed leader of a radical vegan transgender cult, linked to multiple killings across the country, caused a courtroom disruption Monday, demanding vegan food in jail or threatening starvation.
Jack “Ziz” LaSota, 34, who identifies as a woman, was arrested alongside followers Michelle Zajko, 33, and Daniel Blank, 26, in rural Frostburg, Maryland. The trio faced a judge in Allegany County Courthouse on Tuesday, where all were denied bail.
Prosecutor James Elliot labeled the group, known as the Zizians, as extremists with a violent history. “They are believed to be involved in multiple homicides,” Elliot stated. He identified LaSota as the movement’s ringleader.
Midway through the hearing, LaSota interrupted, pleading for dietary accommodations. “I might starve to death if you do not intervene,” LaSota insisted. “I need the jail to be ordered to have a vegan diet. It’s more important than whatever this hearing is.”
LaSota also proclaimed innocence, telling the judge via video link, “I shouldn’t be here, I haven’t done anything wrong.” Despite the outburst, Judge Erich Bean ruled that LaSota posed a significant threat to public safety and ordered detention.
The group’s history is deeply troubling. Authorities believe the Zizians are responsible for at least six murders in Vermont, Pennsylvania, and California. Two of their own members have also been killed. Investigators describe them as highly intelligent, mostly young computer scientists drawn together by anarchist ideology, which eventually turned lethal.
Teresa “Milo” Youngblut, 21, is accused of murdering Border Patrol agent David Maland, 44, during a traffic stop near the Canadian border on January 20. Youngblut and Felix “Ophelia” Bauckholt allegedly opened fire on law enforcement officers in Coventry, Vermont. The exchange left both Bauckholt, an award-winning mathematics prodigy, and Maland dead.
Youngblut, a University of Washington computer science student, has pleaded not guilty to federal gun charges. She was wounded in the shootout.
Further investigations connect the Zizians to another brutal crime. Youngblut previously sought a marriage license with Maximilian Snyder, 22, who allegedly murdered 82-year-old landlord Curtis Lind in California. Lind had been attempting to evict Zizian members when he was found dead just two days before the eviction was finalized. Prosecutors revealed that Lind had previously been attacked and blinded by cult members after shooting one in self-defense.
Alexander Leatham, 29, and Suri Dao now face charges for the murder of Emma Borhanian and the attempted killing of Lind. Authorities allege Snyder returned months later to finish the job.
Meanwhile, Zajko, a bioinformatics researcher, is under suspicion for the 2023 slaying of her parents inside their Pennsylvania home.
The cult’s ideology is an extreme blend of radical veganism, gender identity theories, and artificial intelligence beliefs. LaSota, a University of Alaska Fairbanks-educated computer programmer, has authored writings describing a supposed war between the brain’s hemispheres, claiming they have a “desire to kill each other.”
Law enforcement remains focused on unraveling the full scope of the Zizians’ crimes. LaSota’s attorney has yet to comment on the case.
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