Gun Used in Border Agent Shootout Linked to Suspect in Double Murder, Prosecutors Reveal
Allegations Surface Before Teresa Youngblut’s Arraignment on Assault Charges
Federal prosecutors revealed Monday that the gun used in the deadly shootout between a U.S. Border Patrol agent and a woman in northern Vermont was purchased by an individual connected to a double murder in Pennsylvania. Teresa Youngblut, who allegedly opened fire during the January 20 incident, is accused of using the weapon in the fatal confrontation that left one agent dead.
Youngblut, along with Felix Bauckholt, a German national, was pulled over by Border Patrol agents for an immigration inspection. During the stop, Youngblut allegedly fired on the agents, sparking a gunfight that resulted in the death of Agent David “Chris” Maland, 44. Bauckholt was shot and killed after drawing a firearm, while Youngblut was wounded in the exchange. It remains unclear whether Maland was struck by Youngblut's shots or those fired by a fellow agent.
The shooting occurred in Orleans County, Vermont, about 20 miles south of the Canadian border. Youngblut is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon on federal charges, including assaulting a Border Patrol agent with a deadly weapon.
In court filings, prosecutors disclosed that both Youngblut and Bauckholt were in possession of firearms purchased by an unidentified person in Vermont in February 2024. This individual, they say, is a person of interest in a double homicide case in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Additionally, Bauckholt was reportedly in the U.S. just hours before the murders, and Youngblut had been in frequent contact with a person detained in the investigation, who is also linked to a separate murder case in Vallejo, California.
Prosecutors have requested that Youngblut remain in custody, arguing she poses a danger to the community and is a flight risk, citing her unclear ties to Vermont and unverified primary residence.
Court documents further reveal that the pair was traveling with a significant arsenal of weapons and tactical gear, including 48 rounds of .380-caliber ammunition, a ballistic helmet, and night vision equipment. They had been under surveillance by Homeland Security Investigations since January 14, after a hotel employee in Lyndonville, Vermont, expressed concern about the couple, who were seen wearing tactical clothing and carrying firearms in holsters.
When their vehicle, a Toyota Prius, was stopped, Bauckholt’s visa status appeared to be in question in the Department of Homeland Security database, although the FBI later confirmed he was on a valid visa.