Richard and Rita Zajko were found shot dead in their home in Chester Heights on December 31, 2022. Their daughter, Michelle Zajko, became a person of interest after authorities discovered her links to individuals associated with the Zizians. She was questioned but refused to cooperate and later fled a Pennsylvania State Police barracks, abandoning her vehicle and $40,000 in cash, NBCNews.com reported.
For nearly two years, the case remained unsolved. However, recent developments have reignited attention, particularly after Zajko and two associates were arrested in Maryland on trespassing and weapons charges. A prosecutor revealed in court that they were part of a group “tied to multiple homicides that have occurred across the United States.”
NBCNews.com reported that the Zizians originated from the rationalist community in Berkeley, California, and have been linked to at least six violent deaths. Members have been implicated in crimes ranging from a samurai sword attack in California to the murder of an elderly man scheduled to testify against them. The group is reportedly led by Alaskan computer scientist and blogger Jack “Ziz” LaSota, who identifies as female. LaSota was among those questioned in the Zajkos’ murder investigation and was later arrested in Maryland alongside Zajko.
While no charges have been filed in the Zajkos’ murder, their family and friends remain hopeful. “Hopefully, there will finally be justice for Rich and Rita,” a family friend told NBCNews.com.
Who are the Zizians? A trail of violence across the US
The Zizians, an enigmatic group with roots in Berkeley’s rationalist community, are now under scrutiny for their alleged involvement in multiple violent crimes across the United States. Prosecutors have linked the group to at least six violent deaths, including cases in Pennsylvania, Vermont, and California.
The Zajko murder case
On December 31, 2022, Richard and Rita Zajko were found shot dead in their Chester Heights home. Their daughter, Michelle Zajko, quickly became a person of interest but managed to evade authorities for nearly two years. While no one has been charged in their murders, prosecutors say Zajko and two associates—also linked to the Zizians—were arrested in Maryland on trespassing and weapons charges.
Among those arrested was Jack “Ziz” LaSota, the alleged leader of the group, along with another associate, Daniel Blank. “They were part of a group tied to multiple homicides across the United States,” a prosecutor said in court.
A pattern of deadly attacks
The Zizians have been connected to a series of violent incidents across the country:
January 2024 (Vermont): Two Zizian members, Ophelia Bauckholt and Teresa Youngblut, were involved in a shootout with Border Patrol agents, resulting in the death of agent David Maland. Bauckholt was killed in the exchange, while Youngblut was wounded and later arrested.
2022 (California): A samurai sword attack left one group member dead after their intended victim—an elderly man—shot back in self-defense.
Early 2024 (California): The survivor of the samurai attack, Curtis Lind, was later fatally stabbed outside his home. Another Zizian member has since been charged in his murder.
Who are the Zizians?
Emerging from Berkeley’s rationalist community, the Zizians present themselves as intellectuals focused on existential threats such as artificial intelligence. However, law enforcement officials have linked them to multiple violent crimes, raising questions about whether they function as an organized criminal network or a loosely connected movement.
Authorities continue to investigate the group’s structure and motivations, while prosecutors work to uncover the full extent of its influence. For the families of the victims, the search for justice continues. “We still have no answers,” a family friend of the murdered Zajkos said. “Hopefully, there will finally be justice for Rich and Rita.”
