Zizian cult leader Jack LaSota arrested in Maryland after months on the run

Jack "Ziz" LaSota, leader of the Zizian cult, was arrested in Maryland after months on the run, officials confirmed.

Jack “Ziz” LaSota, leader of the so-called Zizian cult linked to multiple deaths across the U.S., was arrested in Allegany County, Maryland, on Sunday, officials confirmed.

Also taken into custody were Michelle Zajko, a person of interest in the double homicide of her parents in Pennsylvania, and Daniel Blank, another member of the group.

LaSota, 33, was booked on charges of trespassing, obstruction, and illegal possession of a handgun. Zajko, 32, faces similar charges, along with resisting arrest. Blank, 26, was charged with trespassing and obstruction. Authorities only later discovered the trio’s alleged connection to the violent crime spree tied to the Zizians.

The group had been on the run since 2023 after law enforcement attempted to serve a search warrant at a Pennsylvania hotel linked to the murder of Rita and Richard Zajko. While LaSota was previously arrested and released on bail, all three disappeared, evading authorities for over a year.

The Zizians, a fringe Bay Area group of radical pseudo-intellectuals, have been linked to at least six deaths, including a fatal shootout in Vermont and brutal knife attacks in Vallejo. Other members, including Alexander Leatham, Suri Dao, and Maximilian Snyder, are currently in custody facing homicide charges.

Authorities are still investigating the group’s activities and the extent of their alleged crimes. LaSota, Zajko, and Blank are set to appear in court on Tuesday.