A young woman from Washington state is facing federal charges in the aftermath of a fatal shooting involving a U.S. Border Patrol agent in northern Vermont. Teresa Youngblut, 21, is set to appear in court in Burlington, where she is accused of using a deadly weapon during an assault on the border patrol agent and firing a gun in the incident that took place during a traffic stop on Interstate 91 in Coventry.
The confrontation, which resulted in the death of border patrol agent David C. Maland and passenger Felix Bauckholt, saw shots fired by Youngblut, although she has not been directly charged with Maland’s killing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher highlighted Youngblut’s associations with individuals tied to other homicides in a court filing, suggesting she poses a danger to the community that cannot be addressed by pretrial release conditions.
Youngblut and Bauckholt had been under federal surveillance leading up to the traffic stop, having been observed wearing tactical attire while walking in downtown Newport. During the stop, Youngblut opened fire after exiting the vehicle, prompting Bauckholt to draw a firearm. Border patrol agents responded by firing at the pair, resulting in the deaths of Maland and Bauckholt.
Federal authorities recovered various items from the vehicle, including a ballistic vest, night-vision goggles, ammunition, and electronic devices. Lasher’s filing revealed that Youngblut had a journal in her possession at the time of the incident, containing cryptic text and references to drug use. Despite lacking a criminal record, Youngblut’s international travel history and firearm purchases raised concerns about her background and motives.
A report from The Seattle Times shed light on Youngblut’s mysterious past, with her parents reporting her missing in May to Seattle police. Concerns about her whereabouts and possible involvement in a controlling relationship were expressed, although authorities determined there was insufficient cause to file a missing-person report. The unfolding details surrounding Youngblut’s connections to multiple homicides and her enigmatic behavior paint a complex portrait of a young woman at the center of a tragic and troubling case.
