Latest news with #MichelleZajko
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Maryland files new charges against 3 in cultlike Zizian group linked to CBP agent killing
The leader and two members of a cultlike group that has been connected to six killings in three states face new gun charges in Maryland. Authorities have described Jack LaSota, who is also known as Ziz, as the apparent 'leader of an extremist group' called the Zizians who follow her online writings on veganism, gender identity and artificial intelligence. The group has been linked to killings in Vermont, Pennsylvania and California. A cross-country investigation into LaSota and the Zizians broke open in January when one member of the group died and another was arrested after the shooting death of Patrol Agent David Maland in Vermont. LaSota, Michelle Zajko and Daniel Blank were charged with trespassing, obstructing law enforcement and illegal gun possession last month after a Frostburg, Maryland, man told police that three 'suspicious' people parked box trucks on his property and asked to camp there. Their trials had been scheduled to begin in Allegany County District Court on Monday, but their cases were transferred Wednesday to the county's higher-level circuit court after new indictments were handed up. LaSota now faces nine charges, Zajko faces 14 and Blank faces 12. The new charges, which include carrying concealed and loaded handguns, are misdemeanors. The possible maximum penalties for each charge range from three months of incarceration for trespassing and up to five years for some of the gun charges. Initial court appearances are scheduled for April 8. Burlington mayor, city councilors 'implore' Scott to sign budget act and extend motel housing program through June Members of the Zizian group have been tied to the death of one of their own during an attack on a California landlord in November 2022, the landlord's subsequent killing in January, and the deaths of a Pennsylvania couple in between. The Pennsylvania victims were Richard and Rita Zajko, the parents of Michelle Zajko. A Maryland prosecutor has said two guns Zajko purchased were recovered in connection with the shooting death of Maland, the Border Patrol agent killed in a shootout during a traffic stop in Vermont in January. Teresa Youngblut, who was driving the car and is accused of firing at Maland, has pleaded not guilty to federal firearms charges. Felix Bauckholt, a passenger in the car, also was killed. Bauckholt and LaSota were living together in North Carolina as recently as this winter, according to their landlord, who also was renting a duplex to Youngblut in the same neighborhood. Youngblut also had applied for a marriage license with Maximilian Snyder, who is charged with killing landlord Curtis Lind in California. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Yahoo
New gun charges filed against the leader and 2 followers of cultlike Zizian group tied to killings
The leader and two members of a cultlike group that has been connected to six killings in three states face new gun charges in Maryland. Authorities have described Jack LaSota, who is also known as Ziz, as the apparent 'leader of an extremist group' called the Zizians who follow her online writings on veganism, gender identity and artificial intelligence. The group has been linked to killings in Vermont, Pennsylvania and California. A cross-country investigation into LaSota and the Zizians broke open in January when one member of the group died and another was arrested after the shooting death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland in Vermont. LaSota, Michelle Zajko and Daniel Blank were charged with trespassing, obstructing law enforcement and illegal gun possession last month after a Frostburg, Maryland, man told police that three 'suspicious' people parked box trucks on his property and asked to camp there. Their trials had been scheduled to begin in Allegany County District Court on Monday, but their cases were transferred Wednesday to the county's higher-level circuit court after new indictments were handed up. LaSota now faces nine charges, Zajko faces 14 and Blank faces 12. The new charges, which include carrying concealed and loaded handguns, are misdemeanors. The possible maximum penalties for each charge range from three months of incarceration for trespassing and up to five years for some of the gun charges. Initial court appearances are scheduled for April 8. Members of the Zizian group have been tied to the death of one of their own during an attack on a California landlord in November 2022, the landlord's subsequent killing in January, and the deaths of a Pennsylvania couple in between. The Pennsylvania victims were Richard and Rita Zajko, the parents of Michelle Zajko. A Maryland prosecutor has said two guns Zajko purchased were recovered in connection with the shooting death of Maland, the Border Patrol agent killed in a shootout during a traffic stop in Vermont in January. Teresa Youngblut, who was driving the car and is accused of firing at Maland, has pleaded not guilty to federal firearms charges. Felix Bauckholt, a passenger in the car, also was killed. Bauckholt and LaSota were living together in North Carolina as recently as this winter, according to their landlord, who also was renting a duplex to Youngblut in the same neighborhood. Youngblut also had applied for a marriage license with Maximilian Snyder, who is charged with killing landlord Curtis Lind in California.
The Independent
20-03-2025
- The Independent
New gun charges filed against the leader and 2 followers of cultlike Zizian group tied to killings
The leader and two members of a cultlike group that has been connected to six killings in three states face new gun charges in Maryland. Authorities have described Jack LaSota, who is also known as Ziz, as the apparent 'leader of an extremist group' called the Zizians who follow her online writings on veganism, gender identity and artificial intelligence. The group has been linked to killings in Vermont, Pennsylvania and California. A cross-country investigation into LaSota and the Zizians broke open in January when one member of the group died and another was arrested after the shooting death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland in Vermont. LaSota, Michelle Zajko and Daniel Blank were charged with trespassing, obstructing law enforcement and illegal gun possession last month after a Frostburg, Maryland, man told police that three 'suspicious' people parked box trucks on his property and asked to camp there. Their trials had been scheduled to begin in Allegany County District Court on Monday, but their cases were transferred Wednesday to the county's higher-level circuit court after new indictments were handed up. LaSota now faces nine charges, Zajko faces 14 and Blank faces 12. The new charges, which include carrying concealed and loaded handguns, are misdemeanors. The possible maximum penalties for each charge range from three months of incarceration for trespassing and up to five years for some of the gun charges. Initial court appearances are scheduled for April 8. Members of the Zizian group have been tied to the death of one of their own during an attack on a California landlord in November 2022, the landlord's subsequent killing in January, and the deaths of a Pennsylvania couple in between. The Pennsylvania victims were Richard and Rita Zajko, the parents of Michelle Zajko. A Maryland prosecutor has said two guns Zajko purchased were recovered in connection with the shooting death of Maland, the Border Patrol agent killed in a shootout during a traffic stop in Vermont in January. Teresa Youngblut, who was driving the car and is accused of firing at Maland, has pleaded not guilty to federal firearms charges. Felix Bauckholt, a passenger in the car, also was killed. Bauckholt and LaSota were living together in North Carolina as recently as this winter, according to their landlord, who also was renting a duplex to Youngblut in the same neighborhood. Youngblut also had applied for a marriage license with Maximilian Snyder, who is charged with killing landlord Curtis Lind in California.
Associated Press
20-03-2025
- Associated Press
New gun charges filed against the leader and 2 followers of cultlike Zizian group tied to killings
The leader and two members of a cultlike group that has been connected to six killings in three states face new gun charges in Maryland. Authorities have described Jack LaSota, who is also known as Ziz, as the apparent 'leader of an extremist group' called the Zizians who follow her online writings on veganism, gender identity and artificial intelligence. The group has been linked to killings in Vermont, Pennsylvania and California. A cross-country investigation into LaSota and the Zizians broke open in January when one member of the group died and another was arrested after the shooting death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland in Vermont. LaSota, Michelle Zajko and Daniel Blank were charged with trespassing, obstructing law enforcement and illegal gun possession last month after a Frostburg, Maryland, man told police that three 'suspicious' people parked box trucks on his property and asked to camp there. Their trials had been scheduled to begin in Allegany County District Court on Monday, but their cases were transferred Wednesday to the county's higher-level circuit court after new indictments were handed up. LaSota now faces nine charges, Zajko faces 14 and Blank faces 12. The new charges, which include carrying concealed and loaded handguns, are misdemeanors. The possible maximum penalties for each charge range from three months of incarceration for trespassing and up to five years for some of the gun charges. Initial court appearances are scheduled for April 8. Members of the Zizian group have been tied to the death of one of their own during an attack on a California landlord in November 2022, the landlord's subsequent killing in January, and the deaths of a Pennsylvania couple in between. The Pennsylvania victims were Richard and Rita Zajko, the parents of Michelle Zajko. A Maryland prosecutor has said two guns Zajko purchased were recovered in connection with the shooting death of Maland, the Border Patrol agent killed in a shootout during a traffic stop in Vermont in January. Teresa Youngblut, who was driving the car and is accused of firing at Maland, has pleaded not guilty to federal firearms charges. Felix Bauckholt, a passenger in the car, also was killed. Bauckholt and LaSota were living together in North Carolina as recently as this winter, according to their landlord, who also was renting a duplex to Youngblut in the same neighborhood. Youngblut also had applied for a marriage license with Maximilian Snyder, who is charged with killing landlord Curtis Lind in California.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
Allegany County trials set for Zizians
CUMBERLAND — Trials are set to be held next month for three people connected to the Zizians, arrested on private property near Frostburg and detained in Allegany County. Maryland State Police Sunday arrested Jack LaSota, 33, Daniel Blank, 26, and Michelle Zajko, 32, off of Piney Mountain Road. 'Lasota was arrested and charged with trespassing, obstructing and hindering, firearm in vehicle; Zajko was arrested and charged with trespassing, obstructing and hindering, resisting arrest, handgun on person; Blank was arrested and charged with trespassing, obstructing and hindering,' MSP said via press release Monday. It's unknown what they were doing near Frostburg. The trio were transported to the Allegany County Detention Center for an appearance before a district court commissioner. Each of them appeared from the facility via videoconference Tuesday for a hearing at Allegany County District Court, where a judge described them as dangerous flight risks and denied their requests for bail. Their trials are set for 1 p.m. March 24 at Allegany County District Court. As of Wednesday, it was unclear whether the defendants, who are not from Maryland, had secured attorneys for the upcoming court cases. Zizians According to The Associated Press, the Zizians is 'a cultlike group connected to six killings in three states.' Members of the group 'have been tied to the death of a woman during an attack on a California landlord in November 2022, the landlord's subsequent slaying in January and the deaths of a Pennsylvania couple in between,' the AP reported. The Pennsylvania victims were the parents of Michelle Zajko. Vermont-Border Patrol Shooting FILE - This Jan. 29, 2025 photo shows a Chester Heights, Pa., home, the scene of the 2022 killing of Richard and Rita Zajko, (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) 'Most recently, the group has been linked to a highway shootout in Vermont that left a U.S. Border Patrol agent and a car passenger dead,' AP reported of Agent David Maland and a German national in the country on what the Federal Bureau of Investigation called a current visa. Guns According to VTDigger, an independent digital news organization that covers Vermont, federal authorities in that state charged Michelle Zajko, 32, with making false statements to buy three firearms in February 2024 that were later used in a fatal shooting. Border Patrol Zizians Killings This image provided by the Allegany County Sheriff's Office shows Michelle Zajko. (Allegany County Sheriff's Office via AP) Documents filed Tuesday in federal court in Burlington, Vermont, show 'two of those guns were later traced back to Teresa Youngblut, of Washington state, and Felix Bauckholt, a German national, who were involved in a Jan. 20 shootout on Interstate 91 in Coventry,' VTDigger reported. 'Bauckholt and David Maland, a border patrol agent, were killed in that incident.' According to court documents, that afternoon, after Maland pulled over a Toyota Prius with North Carolina license plates, 'Youngblut came out of the vehicle and opened fire,' the news organization reported. 'Bauckholt, a passenger in the car, also drew a gun, court records stated, but was killed before firing a shot.' Following the incident, Youngblut was found in possession of a Glock .40-caliber pistol and Bauckholt had a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield .380-caliber pistol in a holster on his waistband. 'Both guns had been purchased by Zajko on Feb. 14, 2024, according to those filings,' VTDigger reported. 'The charging documents do not describe how the guns got from Zajko to Youngblut and Bauckholt.' Interviews The Cumberland Times-News on Wednesday asked to interview LaSota, Zajko and Blank. Officials at the detention center said interview requests must be made in writing to the Allegany County Sheriff's Office. The newspaper emailed Sheriff Craig Robertson, who said he'll ask the three people if they agree to talk to the newspaper. 'It ends up being their decision,' he said. Border Patrol Zizians Killings This image provided by the Allegany County Sheriff's Office shows Jack Lasota. (Allegany County Sheriff's Office via AP) Border Patrol-Zizians Killings This image provided by the Allegany County Sheriff's Office shows Daniel Blank. (Allegany County Sheriff's Office via AP) Documentary Molly Oswaks is a producer at XTR in Los Angeles. Since its inception in 2019, XTR has produced and financed more than 80 documentaries, including 'They Call Me Magic' on AppleTV+ and MTV Documentary Films' Oscar-nominated 'Ascension,' the studio's website states. The nonfiction entertainment studio is in early development for a documentary about the Zizians. Although other documentary teams have expressed interest in the cultlike group, XTR was 'the only production company out there with a camera' at Tuesday's bail hearing, Oswaks said. XTR has partnered with Rolling Stone magazine to make the documentary. 'We have a good relationship with all the major streamers,' she said of companies, including Netflix and Prime Video. The Zizians group 'has all of the elements of a great documentary (with) stranger than fiction characters,' Oswaks said.
