Michelle Zajko, 33, has been charged with the murder of her parents, Richard and Rita Zajko, who were found shot to death on December 31, 2022, in their suburban Philadelphia home. Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse announced the charges Wednesday, stating that after an extensive investigation, evidence points to Zajko's involvement.
The victims, Richard, 71, and Rita, 69, were discovered on January 2, 2023. Rita had a gunshot wound to the back of her head, while Richard sustained a gunshot wound to his right hand and temple. Neighboring doorbell camera footage from New Year's Eve captured sounds of distress from the residence.
Zajko, who is transitioning from male to female, has ties to a group known as the Zizians, described by authorities as a 'trans vegan death cult.' The group reportedly comprises many transgender individuals and holds beliefs centered on rationalism, transhumanism, and animal rights. Zajko, who has been in jail since February 2022 on unrelated charges, has denied killing her parents, suggesting instead that her father shot her mother and then himself. Investigators have gathered evidence including text messages and ballistics analysis, which they believe implicates Zajko. Rouse indicated that Zajko did not act alone and allegedly acquired firearms with the help of another individual.
The Zizians have been linked to a string of violent incidents. In January 2025, Border Patrol agent David Maland was killed in a shootout in Vermont during a traffic stop involving Teresa Youngblut, 21, and Ophelia Bauckholt, 27, both described as Zizian members. Bauckholt was killed in the exchange, and Youngblut faces federal firearms charges related to Maland's death.
Another case involving the group includes the 2022 murder of Curtis Lind, an 82-year-old landlord. Alexander 'Somni' Leatham, Emma Borhanian, and Suri Dao were accused in Lind's death, which reportedly stemmed from a dispute over unpaid rent. Borhanian was killed during the attack on Lind. Leatham and Dao also face charges in Borhanian's death.
Lind, who had initially survived an attack by Leatham where he lost an eye to a sword, was later murdered in a separate knife attack in January 2025, shortly before he was scheduled to testify in the cult members' trial. Maximillian 'Audere' Synder, an Oxford University graduate and fellow cult member engaged to Youngblut, was arrested and charged in Lind's murder. The group's leader, known as Ziz, formerly Jack Amadeus LaSota, is accused of influencing members to commit violence and allegedly faked her own death in 2022.
Friends of Bauckholt, like Jessica Taylor, had reportedly warned her about the Zizians, calling them a 'murder gang' and attempting to protect her from the group's influence. The Zizians' ideology reportedly includes beliefs in timeless decision theory and the splitting of consciousness, with veganism and animal rights being central tenets. Snyder and Youngblut's social media posts, which have since been removed, reportedly aligned with Zizianism.