A member of a cult-like group called the Zizians has been charged with the murder of her parents in Pennsylvania. The shooting occurred on her 30th birthday, and investigators remain convinced she was not acting alone. Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse announced that evidence from a doorbell camera, ballistics, and cellphone records implicates Michelle Zajko in the murders of her parents, Rita and Richard. They were killed in her childhood playroom on New Year’s Eve 2022.
Photos provided by the Pennsylvania State Police show Richard and Rita Zajko, who were shot to death at their suburban Philadelphia home. Although investigators aren’t sure about her accomplices, they firmly believe Zajko orchestrated her parents’ deaths inside the house. Zajko, jailed in Maryland on other charges since February 2025, now faces charges of murder, burglary, and conspiracy related to her parents’ deaths. She has denied involvement, suggesting instead that her father might have killed her mother before turning the gun on himself.
In an open letter shared in April 2025, Zajko declared, “I didn’t murder my parents.” Authorities had identified her as a person of interest in the case early on. The deaths are part of a series of incidents linked to the Zizians, involving young, intelligent computer scientists espousing radical beliefs on veganism, animal rights, gender identity, and artificial intelligence.
“At this time we do not know who her co-conspirators were, but we are very certain that Michelle Zajko was in the home and arranged for the death of her parents,” Rouse said.
Investigators pursued a rigorous evidence-gathering process, including reviewing footage from a neighbor’s doorbell camera that allegedly captured two individuals outside the Zajkos’ home in Chester Heights. Voices could be heard shouting “Mom!” and “Oh my God!” No weapon was recovered, but authorities found a list of mistakes written by Zajko, mentioning items like leaving shell casings. Those casings matched ammunition from Zajko’s Vermont home and her backyard firing range.
Regarding her representation in the Pennsylvania case, court records reveal that Zajko had no attorney listed as of Wednesday. Her Maryland attorney did not respond to requests for comment. The Delaware County Public Defender’s office also refrained from commenting.
Besides her parent’s murder, Zajko faces charges related to the death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland in January 2025. Zajko was charged with providing the gun used in the killing, although the case has seen no significant developments. Arrested in Maryland alongside Daniel Blank and Jack “Ziz” LaSota, the latter identified as a Zizian leader, all three have denied trespassing, illegal gun, and drug charges. LaSota also faces a federal charge for illegal gun possession as a fugitive.
A court recently approved a defense request for LaSota’s competency evaluation. Her lawyers reject the cult label, contending neither LaSota nor her friends formed such a group. Zajko claims their Maryland arrests thwart efforts to vindicate Teresa Youngblut, who stands accused of murder in the Vermont shooting and risks the death penalty if convicted.
Investigating the Zajko homicides, authorities initially questioned Zajko in Vermont shortly after their deaths. She was briefly detained in Pennsylvania during the funeral, before being released without charges. LaSota was arrested for obstructing the inquiry and disorderly conduct, denying those charges as well.
Zajko had become estranged from her parents over the year leading to their death. She sent a January 2022 message to her father, accusing her mother of assuming the worst about her since childhood. Hours before her death, Rita Zajko sent a text apologizing and wishing her daughter a happy birthday. Rita’s message received no reply.
Richard Zajko’s sister-in-law, Roseanne Zajko, expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their efforts, stating that the family endured “countless days of darkness and despair” while awaiting justice. Acknowledging the extensive work by detectives and the DA’s office in pursuit of justice for Rick and Rita, she remains uncertain if the trial will mend the family’s loss and sorrow.