Apparent leader of 'cult' group linked to killings arrested in US

Police in Maryland announced on Monday the arrest of Jack Lasota, 34, the leading figure of a cult-like group called "Zizians," along with another member, Michelle Zayko, 33, both from Media, Pennsylvania. The arrests mark a significant step in investigating the group's activities and potential connections to violent crimes.

The two were arrested on Sunday and face multiple charges, including trespassing, obstructing an officer, hindering law enforcement, and illegally possessing a handgun in a vehicle. Their bail hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at the Allegany District Court, where further details about the case will be revealed.

The "Zizians" organization is linked to the January death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Marland near the Canadian border and may be implicated in five other homicides in Vermont, Pennsylvania, and California. Marland, 44, died in a shootout on January 20 after a traffic stop in Coventry, Vermont, about 32 kilometers from the Canadian border, raising concerns about the group's geographic reach and potential for violence.

Interviews by the Associated Press and a review of court records and online postings reveal a group of young and highly intelligent computer scientists, mostly in their 20s and 30s, who met online, shared anarchist beliefs, and gradually became violent. Their goals remain unclear, but online writings touched on topics ranging from radical veganism and gender identity to artificial intelligence, suggesting a complex and multifaceted ideology.

The central figure is "Ziz," who appears to be the leader of this strange organization, with members referring to themselves as "Zizians." She has allegedly been present near multiple crime scenes and associated with several suspects. Lasota, under the name "Ziz," published a dark and sometimes violent blog, describing in one section her theory that the brain's two hemispheres may hold different values and genders and "often long to murder each other."

Lasota, who uses she/her pronouns and claimed in her writings to be a transgender woman, railed against what she perceived as enemies, including so-called rationalist groups that operate largely online and attempt to understand human cognition through reason and knowledge. Some of these individuals expressed concerns about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence, highlighting the ideological conflicts within the group's sphere of influence.

In recent weeks, the Associated Press sent multiple emails to Lasota, 34, but received no response. Her lawyer, Daniel McGarrigle, declined to comment when asked if she was connected to any deaths. Prior to her weekend arrest, she missed court appearances in two states, and warrants had been issued for her arrest, indicating a pattern of evading law enforcement.

On Monday, reporters contacted McGarrigle, who only confirmed that he had represented Lasota but did not confirm her arrest or any details of the latest case. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the "Zizians" group's activities and their potential involvement in violent crimes.