A former Zizian cult member extensively believed to have died by suicide is definitely alive and hiding from the “dangerous” group, The Submit can reveal.
Gwen Danielson was considered lifeless in 2022 even by a lawyer representing her in an lively case, however has as an alternative been laying low at an undisclosed location.
Danielson – who, like many Zizians, is transgender and legally turned a lady in 2017 in keeping with courtroom papers – nonetheless “fears for her life,” in keeping with her father, Brett Danielson.
“She checks in regularly and I heard from her very recently but she’s not ready to come out of hiding just yet,” he instructed The Submit.
Danielson cut up from the more and more unhinged group of ‘rationalist’ pc scientists over an argument throughout the group, in keeping with her father.
“Their political ideology was that killing animals is just as violent as killing people and therefore everybody is guilty of violence,” he mentioned.
“And that probably led some of them to a self-justification for their own propensity for violence.”
Authorities are actually investigating 4 killings throughout the US linked to numerous members of the loose-knit group, together with a double murder in Pennsylvania, a homicide in California, and a shootout which left a US border guard lifeless in Vermont.
Jack “Ziz” Lasota, 34, who has been described because the chief of the group, was arrested on February 16 alongside Michelle Zajko, 32, and Daniel Clean, 26, in Maryland after they have been seen trespassing, elevating suspicion. A gun was additionally discovered of their car.
Prosecutors in numerous jurisdictions throughout the nation are actually considered getting ready additional expenses.
Zajko is a suspect within the homicide of her dad and mom in Pennsylvania however has not been charged in that case. Two others tied to the group are additionally in custody, each for homicide.
Maximillian Snyder is charged over the Jan. 17 demise of Curtis Lind, who had at one time let the group camp on his property, and Teresa Youngblut over the capturing of the David Maland, the Border Patrol guard, on Jan. 20. Youngblut has pleaded not responsible, Snyder has but to enter a plea.
Now the obvious Zizian ringleaders are going through justice, Danielson’s father is hoping their household can transfer on.
“Hopefully [the recent arrests] are the tip of their actions and people who actually have been considerably innocently pulled into the vortex of this may get their lives straightened again out once more.
“I’m hoping this this allows [Gwen] to come out of hiding, put things behind her and move on,” he added.
Brett mentioned his understanding of why the Zizians principally occur to be transgender or non-binary is that, as a part of their “rationalism” pursuits, they imagine taking estrogen led to “clearer thinking.”
“Gwen spoke a lot about the difference in the way of mental acuity with estrogen versus testosterone,” he instructed The Submit.
The rumors of Danielson’s demise began quickly after Lasota was reported lacking by his sister, who mentioned he had gone overboard a ship within the San Francisco bay, in keeping with courtroom papers seen by The Submit.
An intensive search by the Coast Guard couldn’t discover LaSota’s physique and an obituary was printed for him which said he cherished “adventure … music, blueberries, biking, computer games, and animals.”
An lawyer presenting each Lasota and Danielson on expenses associated to a protest that they had staged in 2019, Jerold Friedman, famous each have been apparently lifeless from separate incidents on the time.
“Mr. Friedman believes that Ms. Danielson may have committed suicide and would like time to investigate,” a courtroom order dated August 2022 learn.
Friedman didn’t reply to a request for remark from The Submit.
Nevertheless, LaSota was discovered to be alive and arrested at a Pennsylvania resort in January 2023 and questioned in regards to the double murder of Zajko’s dad and mom.
He was ultimately let go, however now stands charged with trespassing and obstruction in addition to having a gun in a car stemming from the Maryland arrest. A choose ordered Lasota, Zajko and Clean held with out bail, describing them as flight dangers.
Lasota’s present lawyer, Daniel McGarrigle, declined to reply any questions relating to his shopper’s case.
Jessica Taylor, a man-made intelligence researcher who knew a number of of the group members, first met no less than 4 Zizians round 2015 on the Middle for Utilized Rationality, a corporation within the metropolis which hosts workshops on cognitive science and “de-biasing” with a mission to “develop clear thinking for the sake of humanity’s future,” in keeping with its web site.
She instructed The Submit the group had a “high death count” which included a number of suicides.
Two folks within the group’s orbit who took their very own lives have been named Maia Pasek, who left a quasi-suicide observe in 2018 referencing rational thought processes, and Jay Winterford — also referred to as Jacob Pekarek — a math and science graduate in 2021.
“I knew about the suicides in the group … but before [Lind was attacked and murdered] I didn’t generally have the sense they could be violent,” she mentioned.
“Now I think they are a criminal gang.”
