A woman with a complex web of connections to violent incidents across the United States has been taken into custody in Allegany County, Maryland. Michelle Zajko, 32, is facing four misdemeanor charges following her arrest, which occurred around the same time as Jack “Ziz” LaSota, 33, the purported inspiration behind a fringe group known as the Zizians.
Zajko, originally from Media, Pennsylvania, finds herself embroiled in a series of legal entanglements that span across state lines. The charges she faces in Allegany County include trespassing on private property, obstructing and hindering, resist/interfering with arrest, and handgun possession. LaSota, the enigmatic figure behind the Zizians, is facing similar charges, such as trespassing on private property, carrying a handgun in his vehicle, and obstructing and hindering law enforcement.
Both individuals are currently being held without bond and are slated to make court appearances in Allegany County, according to court and jail records. The arrests of Zajko and LaSota were first reported by VTDigger.org, shedding light on the mysterious connections between these two individuals and their alleged involvement in a violent shootout that resulted in the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Zajko’s ties to a fatal incident involving the Border Patrol agent have put her under intense scrutiny. An alert issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives highlighted Zajko’s potential involvement in the purchase of firearms linked to the tragic incident. The fatal shooting of Border Patrol agent David “Chris” Maland during a traffic stop on Interstate 91 has been linked to weapons believed to have been purchased by Zajko. This incident, which also claimed the life of Felix Bauckholt, a German national in the U.S. on a visa, has left a trail of unanswered questions and ongoing investigations.
Intriguingly, Zajko’s roots can be traced back to Media, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. She maintains ownership of vacant land in Derby and was known to reside in a secluded home in Orleans, situated near the scene of the border patrol shooting. The property on Webster Road, acquired in 2020 through a managed trust, served as Zajko’s place of residence following its purchase.
Allegany County, where Zajko and LaSota are currently in custody, is nestled in the tranquil landscapes of rural western Maryland, bordered by West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The region’s picturesque backdrop stands in stark contrast to the turmoil that has followed Zajko, including her status as a person of interest in the unsolved 2023 murders of her parents, Richard and Rita Zajko. The tragic discovery of their fatally wounded bodies inside their home thrust Michelle Zajko into a realm of suspicion, with authorities recovering a handgun and ammunition from her Orleans residence that matched the casings found at the scene of the homicides.
As this convoluted saga unfolds, the intricate connections between Zajko, LaSota, and the Zizians group continue to captivate the public’s interest. The overlapping narratives of violence, radicalism, and unresolved mysteries paint a vivid portrait of individuals caught in the crosshairs of criminal investigations and legal proceedings. The looming specter of past tragedies and the uncertainty of future outcomes cast a chilling shadow over the unfolding events, leaving both observers and authorities grappling with the enigmatic figures at the center of this unfolding drama.
