The Department of Justice (DOJ) has been authorized to pursue the death penalty against Teresa Youngblut, the 21-year-old accused in the Jan. 20 shooting that killed U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland.
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment Thursday, charging Youngblut with Maland’s murder, assault of two other agents with a deadly weapon, and related firearm offenses.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi formally approved the pursuit of capital punishment, and the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Vermont has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty, the DOJ confirmed Thursday.
Investigators have linked Youngblut to “Ziz,” a fringe, self-described vegan, anti-government, transgender-rights collective, which federal authorities say may have connections to multiple homicides across the U.S.
According to court documents, the indictment provides new details about the hours leading up to the deadly Jan. 20 shooting in Coventry, Vermont. Days before the incident, law enforcement noted Youngblut and Felix Bauckholt, a German citizen whose immigration status was “in question,” the DOJ said. A hotel employee reported that the pair appeared armed and were wearing tactical gear.
On the day of the shooting, authorities allegedly observed the duo in a Newport, Vermont, parking lot, where Bauckholt was seen wrapping unknown objects in aluminum foil.
During the stop along Interstate 91, both suspects were reportedly armed. Prosecutors allege Youngblut exited the Toyota Prius they were traveling in and opened fire without warning, killing Maland and endangering two other agents.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the DOJ’s Criminal Division described the killing as “an attack on the men and women who protect our communities and our borders,” adding that federal prosecutors “will not stand for such attacks.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher for the District of Vermont emphasized his office’s commitment to honoring the memory of Agent Maland, stating prosecutors will ensure that justice is served.
FBI Assistant Director Jose A. Perez called the murder “more than a tragic loss,” framing it as “an attack on the security of our nation and the safety of our communities” and promising that the bureau “will not rest until those responsible are held accountable.”
The Trump administration’s move to fast-track Youngblut’s death penalty case follows objections from her attorneys, who called the DOJ’s timeline “unprecedentedly tight” and warned it could reduce the pretrial process to “a near-pointless formality.”
In a July 30 pretrial motion, the defense asked the court to extend the deadline to Jan. 30, 2026, arguing that the current schedule deprives Youngblut of due process and the opportunity to meaningfully challenge the government’s pursuit of the death penalty.
