Introduction to the Case
The daughter of a Pennsylvania couple whose deaths are among six connected to a cultlike group says she has been falsely accused of killing her parents.
Denial and Defense
Michelle Zajko’s denial was part of a 20-page handwritten “Open Letter to the World” her attorney provided to The Associated Press on Tuesday. Dated March 9, the letter also attempts to defend Jack LaSota, also known as Ziz, whom authorities have described as the apparent leader of the “extremist group” called the Zizians.
“You, the public, are being lied to,” Zajko wrote. “And while I don’t promise to answer all your questions, I think the truth about my friends and I will make a lot more sense than what you’ve been reading about in the papers.”
Investigation and Charges
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.
Authorities say Zajko provided the gun that was used in the Vermont shooting, and in February, she, LaSota and another associate were arrested in Maryland and charged with trespassing, obstructing law enforcement and illegal gun possession after a man told police that three “suspicious” people parked box trucks on his property and asked to camp there.
Connection to Parents’ Death
Zajko also was questioned but not charged in connection with the deaths of her parents, Rita and Richard Zajko, who were shot and killed in their Chester Heights, Pennsylvania, home on New Year’s Eve 2022. A few weeks later, LaSota was charged with disorderly conduct after refusing to cooperate with officers investigating the deaths, but Zajko said LaSota was just “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“The police lied to her & told her that I had confessed (to something I didn’t do),” she wrote.
Public Perception and Reality
“My friends and I are being described as like Satan’s lapdogs, the devil & the Manson family all rolled into one,” she wrote. “These papers are flagrantly lying. For instance, there were no truck-fulls of guns, no machine gun, & I didn’t murder my parents.”
A call and email sent to the Pennsylvania State Police was not immediately answered.
Extended Connections and Crimes
Members of the Zizian group also have been tied to the death of one of their own during an attack on a California landlord in November 2022 and the landlord’s subsequent killing in January. Maximilian Snyder, who is charged with killing landlord Curtis Lind, had applied for a marriage license with Teresa Youngblut, who is accused of shooting at the Border Patrol agent in Vermont.
“The newspapers do not seem to realize that there are multiple groups, & that my friends & I are not with Snyder,” she wrote.
Conclusion
The case of Michelle Zajko and the Zizian group is complex and multifaceted, involving numerous crimes and deaths across several states. As the investigation continues, it is essential to separate fact from fiction and to ensure that justice is served based on evidence rather than public perception or misinformation.
FAQs
- Q: Who is Michelle Zajko?
A: Michelle Zajko is the daughter of a Pennsylvania couple whose deaths are connected to a cultlike group known as the Zizians. - Q: What is the Zizian group?
A: The Zizian group is described as an “extremist group” led by Jack LaSota, also known as Ziz, and has been linked to several killings and crimes across the United States. - Q: What are the charges against Michelle Zajko?
A: Michelle Zajko has been charged with trespassing, obstructing law enforcement, and illegal gun possession, but she denies any involvement in her parents’ death. - Q: How many states are involved in the investigation?
A: The investigation involves crimes and deaths in at least three states: Vermont, Pennsylvania, and California.
