Crime
Washington State Woman Arrested in Fatal Shooting of U.S. Border Patrol Agent in Vermont
The shooting occurred on Monday afternoon during a traffic stop on Interstate 91 in Coventry, approximately nine miles south of the U.S.-Canada border.
ORLEANS COUNTY, VT – Authorities have identified 21-year-old Teresa Youngblut of Washington State as the second suspect in the fatal shooting of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David “Chris” Maland earlier this week.
Youngblut has been charged with the intentional use of a deadly weapon while forcibly assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and discharging a firearm during an assault, according to court records.
The charges were detailed in an eight-page affidavit filed by the FBI on Wednesday and unsealed in U.S. District Court in Burlington on Thursday morning.
The shooting occurred on Monday afternoon during a traffic stop on Interstate 91 in Coventry, approximately nine miles south of the U.S.-Canada border.
Agent Maland conducted the stop after receiving a lookout alert for the suspects’ vehicle, a blue 2015 Toyota Prius with North Carolina license plates.
Two additional Border Patrol vehicles arrived on the scene before gunfire erupted.
Youngblut and her companion, 30-year-old German national Felix Baukholt, were both armed at the time of the stop. Youngblut allegedly opened fire without warning, striking Maland.
Baukholt attempted to draw a firearm but was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents. Maland sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead at North Country Hospital in Newport.
According to the FBI affidavit, Youngblut and Baukholt had been under surveillance by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) since January 14. A hotel clerk in Lyndonville had reported concerns after the suspects checked in wearing tactical gear, with Youngblut openly carrying a firearm.
Investigators tracked their movements, including surveillance at a Walmart in Newport on January 20, where Baukholt was observed purchasing aluminum foil and wrapping unknown objects inside the vehicle.
Youngblut and Baukholt were seen walking in downtown Newport on January 19 in similar tactical attire, and both were reported to be armed. Despite multiple attempts by federal agents to engage them in conversation, the suspects refused to cooperate.
Following the shooting, a court-ordered search of the Prius uncovered a significant cache of tactical gear and weaponry, including:
- A ballistic helmet and night-vision monocular
- A tactical belt with a holster and loaded magazine
- Two full-face respirators
- 48 rounds of .380-caliber jacketed hollow point ammunition
- Used and unused shooting range targets
- Two-way radios, electronic storage devices, and identification documents
- Travel and lodging records for multiple states
- A journal maintained by Youngblut
The Vermont State Police Bomb Squad, in coordination with the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), used robotic technology to ensure the vehicle was safe before collecting evidence.
Youngblut, who sustained gunshot wounds during the incident, is currently receiving medical treatment at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. She is expected to appear in federal court as early as this afternoon.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher is leading the prosecution, with the Office of the Federal Defender assigned to represent Youngblut.
The FBI confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations had been conducting an inquiry into the suspects and a potential third accomplice in the days leading up to the shooting.
However, it remains unclear whether Border Patrol agents had been fully briefed on the nature of the investigation before they conducted the traffic stop, a tactic known as a “Whisper Stop,” in which officers are not given full details of an ongoing investigation.
Authorities have also revealed that Baukholt had overstayed his temporary work visa, raising questions about how he obtained a firearm as a non-resident.
Agent David Maland, 44, a K-9 handler with his partner Cora, had served with the Border Patrol for approximately a decade and was engaged to be married. His remains were transported from Burlington to Albany, N.Y., for a flight home to Minnesota.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Authorities are urging anyone with additional information to contact the FBI or Vermont State Police.
More details will be released as the investigation progresses.
MONROE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 27-year-old Monroe Township man has been charged in connection with the death of 15-year-old Trenton Grant and the serious injuries suffered by the teenager’s mother and stepfather following a violent stabbing incident in Monroe Township, Michigan.
Tyson Alexander Grant faces six criminal charges stemming from an incident reported during the early morning hours of Saturday, October 17, in the 1200 block of Raintree Boulevard, according to Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffery A. Yorkey.
The charges include open murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder, two counts of carjacking, and one count of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer or other first responder.
According to the prosecutor’s office, each of the first five charges carries a maximum possible penalty of life in prison. The charge of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer or first responder carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine.
Authorities were dispatched to the Raintree Boulevard area on October 17 after receiving a report of a stabbing.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies discovered multiple people suffering from lacerations and stab wounds. They also found the body of 15-year-old Trenton Grant.
Several people were transported to a hospital for treatment. Investigators subsequently began treating the teenager’s death as a homicide.
The incident prompted a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal stabbing and the injuries sustained by the other victims.
Prosecutors have not publicly disclosed the nature of the relationship, if any, between Tyson Alexander Grant and the victims.
According to the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Tyson Alexander Grant is currently hospitalized in Lucas County, Ohio, with injuries stemming from the incident.
Prosecutors intend to seek his extradition to Monroe County after he is discharged from the hospital so the criminal proceedings can move forward.
As of the latest information provided by prosecutors, a date for Grant’s initial court appearance has not been scheduled.
The six charges reflect the allegations filed against Grant. The case remains subject to the judicial process, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Authorities have not provided additional details about the events leading up to the stabbing or the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s injuries.
The investigation and court proceedings are expected to provide further information as the case develops.