A federal grand jury in the District of Vermont has returned a four-count superseding indictment charging Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Seattle, with murdering a U.S. Border Patrol agent, assaulting two others with a deadly weapon, and related firearms offenses.
“The murder of a federal agent is more than a tragic loss,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “It’s an attack on the security of our nation and the safety of our communities.
Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
According to court documents, on the afternoon of Jan. 20. a U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop of a Toyota Prius on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont.
Youngblut and a male German citizen – whose immigration status was in question – were in the car.
Days earlier, law enforcement had taken note of Youngblut and her companion when a hotel employee reported that they were wearing tactical gear and appeared to be armed. The same day of the shooting, officers had observed the pair at a parking lot in Newport, Vermont, where the German citizen was seen wrapping unknown objects in aluminum foil.
Court documents allege that during the Jan. 20 vehicle stop, both Youngblut and her companion were armed. Youngblut exited the vehicle and, without warning, opened fire, resulting in the death of one of the agents.
Youngblut is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.