Zizians Member Charged in 2022 Pennsylvania Double Homicide
On Wednesday, June 24, Delaware County prosecutors charged 33-year-old Michelle Zajko with murder, burglary, and conspiracy in connection with the New Year's Eve 2022 shooting deaths of her parents, Rita and Richard Zajko, in Chester Heights, PA.
Zajko is a known member of the Zizians—a group of highly intelligent computer scientists sharing radical ideologies regarding artificial intelligence, animal rights, veganism, and gender identity. The Zizians have been linked to six deaths across the U.S. since 2022, including the murder of a California landlord and a shootout in Vermont that left a U.S. Border Patrol agent dead.
Zajko has been jailed in Maryland since February 2025 on separate charges, along with the group's alleged leader, Jack "Ziz" LaSota. District Attorney Tanner Rouse stated that evidence—including neighbor doorbell cameras and ballistics—indicates Zajko did not act alone in her parents' murders. Zajko has historically denied the killings, publishing an "Open Letter to the World" in 2025 suggesting her father was responsible for a murder-suicide.
New Documentary: "The University of Cosmic Intelligence Cult"
On June 25, Investigation Discovery (ID) announced an upcoming special presentation from its People Magazine Investigates series. The documentary, titled The University of Cosmic Intelligence Cult, will focus on the operations and fallout of the pandemic-era group. The special is slated for a July 14, 2026, premiere on the ID network and streaming platforms.
"Cult" Rhetoric in Indiana Politics
The term "cult" has surfaced in political news this week surrounding Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith. Faith leaders and civil rights advocates are renewing their condemnation of Beckwith following a late-May appearance on the Christian political media network FlashPoint, where he referred to Islam as a "demonic death cult."
While not a story about a high-demand group itself, the incident highlights the ongoing weaponization of the word "cult" in mainstream political and religious rhetoric. In a recent June update, Beckwith publicly doubled down on his comments, stating he does not regret his phrasing.
Here are the sources used to compile the news summary:
• Zizians Member Charged in Pennsylvania Double Homicide:
◦ PBS News: A member of the cultlike Zizians group is charged in the killings of her parents in Pennsylvania (PBS)
◦ Northeast Times: Delaware County DA Files Murder Charges Against Zizians Member in Parents' New Year's Eve Deaths (Northeast Times)
◦ The Guardian: They wanted to save us from a dark AI future. Then six people were killed (The Guardian)
• New Documentary: "The University of Cosmic Intelligence Cult":
◦ Realscreen: ID slates new “People Magazine Investigates” doc on pandemic-era cult (Realscreen)
◦ Wikipedia: University of Cosmic Intelligence (Wikipedia)
• "Cult" Rhetoric in Indiana Politics:
◦ The Indiana Citizen: Video: FlashPoint interview with Lt. Gov. Beckwith (The Indiana Citizen)
◦ FOX 32 Chicago: Indiana lieutenant governor says he 'hates' Islam, deems it 'a demonic death cult' (FOX 32 Chicago)
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