Federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Teresa Youngblut, the 21-year-old woman accused of killing a Border Patrol agent during a traffic stop in January.
The incident took place in Vermont in January, and also left Youngblut's companion, German national Felix Baukholt, dead as well.
CBS News detailed that Youngblut initially faced federal firearm charges, but on Thursday prosecutors announced that a grand jury in Vermont returned a superseding indictment charging her with the murder of David Maland and the assault of two other officers with a deadly weapon.
The confrontation marked the culmination of days of federal surveillance after a hotel employee reported suspicious behavior. The pair had been spotted in tactical gear, and Youngblut was allegedly seen carrying a firearm. When approached by authorities before the shooting, the duo claimed they were looking to buy property in the area but declined further discussion, an affidavit from investigators revealed.
Hours before the deadly encounter, agents observed Baukholt purchasing aluminum foil at a nearby Walmart. He was later seen using the material to wrap items in the vehicle. After the shootout, a search of the car yielded findings of wrapped cellphones, a ballistic helmet, night-vision goggles and shooting range targets.
"We will not stand for such attacks on the men and women who protect our communities and our borders," said acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti in a statement on Thursday.
The killing has been linked to a group called the "Zizians," which has been described as "cultlike" and whose leader was arrested in February.
A computer programmer, Jack "Ziz" LaSota was said to have died in a boating accident in 2022, according to an obituary in Alaska. However, ever since him and associates have been linked to a series of crimes including the stabbing of an 80-year old man and the killing of Maland.
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