21-year-old Seattle woman charged for allegedly murdering Border Patrol agent

A 21-year-old woman from Seattle was charged for allegedly murdering a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont.

Teresa Youngblut was formally charged Thursday by a federal grand jury on four counts, including the alleged murder of a Border Patrol agent, assault of two additional agents with a deadly weapon, and firearm offenses, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington reported via a news release.

Border Patrol agent killed during traffic stop

On January 20, a Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop of a Toyota Prius on I-91 in Coventry, Vermont, according to court documents. Youngblut was in the car with a man who was a German citizen and whose immigration status was in question.

Law enforcement was alerted to Youngblut and the man when a hotel employee reported they were wearing tactical gear and appeared to be armed. Officers then spotted the two in a parking lot in Newport, Vermont, where the man was seen wrapping unknown objects in aluminum foil.

During the traffic stop, both Youngblut and the man were allegedly armed. Youngblut got out of the car, without warning, and allegedly opened fire, resulting in the death of the agent.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has authorized and directed Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher for the District of Vermont to pursue capital punishment.

Drescher filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Youngblut.

“The United States Attorney’s Office intends to continue to honor the men and women of law enforcement, and the memory of Border Patrol Agent Maland, by performing its prosecutorial duties so that justice may be done,” he stated in the release.

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