Feds seek death penalty for Seattle woman linked to cultlike 'Zizian' group murder
Federal prosecutors are seeking to execute a Seattle woman accused of fatally shooting a U.S. Border Patrol agent in January, an incident tied to multiple other deaths linked to the cultlike "Zizian" group.
In an Aug. 14 court filing, Department of Justice attorneys said they are pursuing the death penalty for Theresa Youngblut for the murder of agent David Maland near the Canadian border in Vermont on Jan. 20. Border Patrol agents shot and killed Youngblut's companion during a confrontation that followed a traffic stop.
"We will not stand for such attacks on the men and women who protect our communities and our borders," acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti said in a statement announcing the decision.
The filing represents one of the first examples of the Trump administration's push to aggressively seek the death penalty in cases involving federal agents. Youngblut's attorneys previously argued they needed more time to prepare for a death-penalty case, but a judge said prosecutors could proceed.
According to authorities, federal agents had been suspicious of Maland and her companion, Ophelia Bauckholt, for several days as they traveled around northern Vermont. Both were wearing tactical gear and openly carrying guns, which is legal but unusual in Vermont. Additionally Bauckholt, who was transgender, was visiting the United States on a visa from Germany, and was listed as a man on immigration paperwork. Federal officials continue to refer to Bauckholt as a man.
In a new indictment accompanying the death-penalty filing, federal officials said Border Patrol agents stopped Youngblut's Toyota Prius and were approaching the vehicle when she and Bauckholt got out. Youngblut began firing immediately, investigators said, and Bauckholt was killed before she could fire.
The confrontation between Youngblut and Border Patrol agents appears connected to a series of deaths nationwide related to the cultlike "Zizan" group, which is also being investigated in California, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, a grand jury indicted the Zizian group's namesake, Jack "Ziz" LaSota, on weapons charges. And a man who Youngblut was planning to marry was arrested Jan. 24 in connection with the Jan. 17 slaying of a California landlord, according to court records.
A longtime Vermont defense attorney familiar with the case previously told USA TODAY he believes Youngblut opened fire on the Border Patrol agents because she thought they knew about the California murder three days earlier. Federal prosecutors have not yet indicated what they believe motivated Youngblut.
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