Kriti Mehrotra
With ABC’s/Hulu’s ‘IMPACT x Nightline: Ctrl Alt Kill: A Twisted Tale of Silicon Valley Whiz Kids Gone Wrong’ living up to its title in every way, we get a true-crime special unlike any other. It actually delves deep into the mysterious so-called Zizians, an alleged cult-like group of former tech industry professionals who have found themselves wrapped up in several criminal charges. Therefore, of course, there is a significant focus on the horrific homicide of Curtis Lind, the 82-year-old who was found dead right outside his Vallejo, California, property in early 2025.
Curtis Lind Was Viciously Attacked With a Knife
As a proud resident of Solano County, San Francisco Bay Area, Curtis Lind was leading a happy, stable life before everything started turning upside down for him in the early 2020s. He was a dedicated father of 2, a loving grandfather of 4, a hardworking rancher, and a pillar of inspiration, considering his tireless kindness to loved ones and strangers alike at every turn. He often went out of his way to uplift the community by taking on endeavors like clearing beachfront areas and trying to convince city officials to use cruise ships to eradicate homelessness.
According to records, Curtis was also extremely passionate about boating, so he owned several vessels and a piece of land where he stored equipment, trailers, etc., behind a locked gate. This latter property was on the 300 block of Lemon Street, and on the sidewalk right outside of it, at around 2:30 pm on January 17, 2025, is when the 82-year-old was reportedly attacked. As per neighbors and witnesses, he really fought for his life until he couldn’t upon being stabbed in the neck – sadly, despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, this wound proved to be fatal.
Curtis Lind Had Been Attacked On His Property Once Prior
It was during the 911 call itself that Curtis’ neighbors identified his assailant as an Asian male wearing a mask, a black beanie, a purple shirt, and dress pants, giving officials a clear lead. Then, once they really began looking into the victim’s life over the past couple of years for additional clues, they learned there had been an attempt on his life once prior on November 13, 2022. According to records, he had rented some space on the back of his land to a group of young former techies, only for them to become squatters during the pandemic as they didn’t pay rent.
Curtis had allegedly also grown worried over his tenants’ “strange” behavior, especially with them either walking around nude or being clad in pure black like ninjas during the night. Therefore, he filed to get them evicted, which the courts granted without any issues since they owed him more than $50,000 in overdue rent, which reportedly sparked bad blood between them. That’s when these tenants turned squatters allegedly became so violent – reportedly throwing rocks directly at the landlord or threatening his life – that he started carrying a gun for safety.
Eventually, on the morning of November 12, mere days before the squatters were court-ordered to leave, some of them allegedly asked Curtis to come out of his trailer under the pretense of needing some help. Prosecutors alleged in court filings that the attackers ambushed him with knives and a samurai sword, with the intent of inflicting severe harm, and even suggested they planned to dispose of his remains in a chemical bath. What followed was a brutal fight, concluding only when he managed to shoot two of his attackers despite suffering from 57 stab wounds and having the sword impaled through his chest.
Curtis Lind Was Allegedly Killed Over His Attempted Murder Case
Although Curtis lost his right eye and had to spend a month in the hospital, his will to live was such that it shone in his determination to get back into shape as well as his resolve to get justice. Thankfully, with the help of statements from the survivor and evidence recovered from the scene, detectives were able to take Alexander Jeffrey Leatham and Suri Dao in custody not long after. According to investigators, they attempted to interview Jack “Ziz” LaSota, described as the alleged leader of the so-called Zizians group, but news reports indicate she later left the area and could not immediately be located.
As of writing, only 29-year-old Alexander and 24-year-old Suri have been indicted in connection with Curtis’ 2022 attack, during which his self-defense resulted in one person getting injured and another dying. Thus, the duo has been formally charged with aggravated mayhem for the death of their companion, 31-year-old Emma Borhanian, attempted murder, attempted killing of the survivor, and murder. They both have since pleaded not guilty and are currently awaiting further court proceedings while being held in a county jail without bond. However, it’s imperative to note their trial was initially set for earlier in 2025, in which Curtis was reportedly set to testify as the prosecutor’s star witness.
Hence, when the 82-year-old was killed in broad daylight a day after prosecutors filed papers stating he “is the only eyewitness to this case and his testimony is critical,” suspicions arose. The fact that he had been so scared for his life after his 2022 attack that he moved away from Vallejo and mostly stayed on one of his boats or with a friend has also been noticed in court. So, when his assailant was identified as a fellow alleged Zizians member named Maximilian Snyder, prosecutors alleged that Curtis was targeted and killed in order to prevent him from testifying in the attempted murder case.
The 22-year-old Washington native has since been charged with capital murder with special circumstances for allegedly seeking to silence a witness. Like the aforementioned duo, he has pleaded not guilty and remains detained in a county jail without bond, awaiting trial, which has been scheduled for October 2025. If convicted, he faces either life without parole or the death penalty. Per reports, Jack “Ziz” LaSota has since been arrested on unrelated legal matters as well.
Read More: Where is Jack “Ziz” LaSota Now? Update on the Alleged Zizian Leader
