Woman accused of killing Border Patrol agent in Vermont will remain behind bars

The woman accused of shooting and killing a U.S. Border Patrol agent will remain behind bars.

Teresa Youngblut allegedly shot and killed David “Chris” Maland during a traffic stop on Jan. 20 on Interstate 91 in the town of Coventry not far from the Canadian border. During an exchange of gunfire, Maland was struck and killed. Also killed was Felix Baukholt, who was identified as a German national on what investigators said was an expired visa.

Youngblut, who has ties to Washington state, appeared in U.S. District Court in Vermont on Thursday. She was ordered detained into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

Court documents show that Youngblut and Baukholt were on law enforcement’s radar nearly a week earlier.

On or about Jan. 14, an employee of a hotel in Lyndonville, Vermont in Caledonia County told law enforcement about a man and a woman who were wearing all-black tactical-style clothing with protective equipment. The woman was apparently carrying a firearm in an exposed holster, according to prosecutors.

Investigators with Vermont State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security attempted to interview the two, but they declined to talk at length. They said they were in the area to look at property.

They were seen in similar tactical gear on Jan. 19, walking in downtown Newport, and investigators said Youngblut was carrying a gun.  

They were also seen at the Walmart in Newport buying two packages of aluminum foil, and appeared to be wrapping objects in their car.

A search of the car found tactical gear such as a ballistic helmet, night-vision goggles, tactical belt, magazine with cartridges, two face respirators, 48 rounds of jacketed .380 hollow-pointed ammunition, handheld two-way radios, according to court documents. There also were around a dozen electronic devices and documents containing identification, travel and lodging information for multiple states.

Youngblut is facing is facing charges of intentional use of a deadly weapon while forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating or interfering with federal law enforcement and use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to an assault with a deadly weapon.

A preliminary hearing for Youngblut is scheduled for Feb. 7.