The leader of the ‘Zizans’, a Bay Area vegan cult involved in six deaths nationwide, raised concerns in court about the lack of vegan meal options in jail.

Jack ‘Ziz’ LaSota, 33, was arrested on February 16 in Allegany County, Maryland after months on the run. 

LaSota, who uses she/her pronouns, appeared in court remotely on February 18 and complained to the judge, stating that she ‘might starve to death.’ 

LaSota, the cult leader, expressed her worry to Judge Erich Bean about the possibility of starving to death as a result of not having access to a vegan diet while in jail. She emphasized her urgent need for vegan food, placing it above the importance of the court hearing.

In response to LaSota’s remarks, Judge Bean interrupted her and reminded her to adhere to the rules of the court proceedings, asserting his authority over how the hearing would proceed based on Maryland state regulations.

During the proceeding, LaSota also told the judge: ‘I haven’t done anything wrong. I shouldn’t be here.’ 

She is being held on charges of trespassing on private property, obstructing a law enforcement officer and having a handgun in her vehicle, according to court records reviewed by DailyMail.com. 

LaSota is also allegedly linked to six deaths across the country, including the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent killed in Vermont last month, the slaying of a member’s parents and the stabbing of a landlord in Vallejo, California. 

Jack ‘Ziz’ LaSota, 33, was arrested on February 16 in Allegany County, Maryland after months on the run. During court on February 18, she complained about the lack of vegan food in prison 

Judge Erich Bean warned her to stop interrupting the hearing, stating: ‘We’ll play by my rules, the state of Maryland rules how proceedings progress.’ (Pictured: Allegany County District Court Cumberland, Maryland)

The agent, David Maland, 44, was shot in the neck around 3.15pm on January 20 in Newport while performing a traffic stop, according to authorities. 

Teresa Youngblut was arrested following the violent shootout, which also left German national Felix Bauckholt, also known as Ophelia, dead. They are allegedly members of the ‘Zizans’ cult. 

Youngblut was arrested and is currently facing federal firearms charges in connection to his death.

Michelle Zajko, another member, is also reportedly connected to Maland’s death, as she allegedly purchased the handgun Youngblut used in the shootout, the Baltimore Banner reported.

Authorities in Vermont said that weapon was purchased by the same person who bought the firearm used in the murder of Zajko’s parents years earlier, according to court records. 

Zajko, 32, was also arrested on charges of trespassing, obstruction and hindering, resisting or interfering with an arrest and having a handgun on her person, records show.

Another member, Daniel Blank, 26, was also arrested. He faces charges of trespassing on private property and obstruction and hindering, records show.

LaSota (pictured) is also allegedly linked to six deaths across the country, including the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent killed in Vermont last month, the slaying of a member’s parents and the stabbing of a landlord in Vallejo, California

Michelle Zajko (left), 32, a member of the cult, was also arrested on similar charges, as well as resisting or interfering with an arrest. Another member, Daniel Blank (right), 26, was also arrested. He faces charges of trespassing on private property and obstruction and hindering

The three have been on the run since 2023 after they were found by officers in Chester City, Pennsylvania conducting a search warrant after Zajko’s parents, Rita and Richard Zajko, were found shot to death in their home on January 2 of that year, SFGate reported.

About a week after their deaths, LaSota, Zajko and Blank were each found in separate rooms of a hotel.

LaSota was charged with obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct and was eventually released on bail after five months behind bars. Zajko and Blank were not charged, and following LaSota’s release, the three disappeared.

The cult leader is also accused of being at the scene when a landlord, who tried to evict her and members of the cult, was attacked by the group.

The landlord, Curtis Lind, was stabbed with a sword, but still managed to shoot and kill one of the cult members in self-defense, according to police.

Though she was believed to be at the scene, LaSota was never arrested. Two others were charged with murder and attempted murder in that case.

Despite surviving the initial incident involving the cult, Lind was killed on January 17 after he was found with his throat slashed, The Baltimore Banner reported.

LaSota is also accused of being at the scene when a Vallejo, California landlord, Curtis Lind (pictured), who tried to evict her and members of the cult, was attacked by the group

LaSota is allegedly linked to the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent, David Maland, 44, who shot and killed last month in Virginia

Maximillian Snyder, 22, of Kirkland, Washington, has since been charged with his murder and is believed to be connected to the ‘Zizans.’

During the court proceeding, Allegany County State’s Attorney James Elliott, described LaSota as the ‘leader of an extremist group’ that is ‘tied to multiple homicides.’ 

Elliott added the group has ‘significant financial means.’ 

Meanwhile, LaSota’s public defender, David Schram, described his client as a smart scholar who fears ‘for her own safety’ in prison. 

She is a computer programmer who graduated from University of Alaska Fairbanks with a degree in computer engineering.

She interned at NASA and Oracle and, like many young tech entrepreneurs, ‘moved to the Bay Area for proximity to the tech industry which I considered sort of my destiny,’ she wrote in a 2019 blog post.

‘This is a very, very bright person we’re dealing with. ‘She’s very afraid for her own safety,’ Schram said. 

Later on, the judge allowed LaSota to speak more, as she pleaded for Bean to let her out. 

‘Releasing me may be a matter of survival if I don’t get vegan food,’ she said, adding that she was in a ‘mild state of delusion.’ 

She also noted her time behind bars in a Pennsylvania prison where she fasted ‘a month and a week.’ 

‘Near the end of that time I was convinced I was going to die. It’s such a small thing to die over.

‘I think the idea that I be mentally impaired for a month at proceedings because I’m in a state of starvation or that somebody with a particular majority religion would be deciding whether my religious beliefs are real … it’s not right,’ she added. 

Her lawyer then interrupted and told LaSota that her mother has figured out a way to get vegan food into the jail, though the specifics are unclear. 

‘I hope so. I meant what I said about mental impairment. I’m in, maybe, a mild state of delirium,’ LaSota responded. 

She also argued that she is not a flight risk, stating: ‘I’m homeless, and I have no ability to travel.’ 

Despite her best efforts, the judge denied bail, adding that the ‘circumstances are odd at best, concerning.’ 

She is due back in court on March 24 according to court records. DailyMail.com contacted LaSota’s lawyer David Schram for comment.