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Procession for Fallen U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland
The remains of Maland, who died in a shooting incident 20 miles from the Canadian border, are being taken to a funeral home in Burlington, trailed by a lengthy convoy of police cars, while Vermont State Troopers stand respectfully at attention.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is granted the authority to pursue the death penalty against Teresa Youngblut, the woman charged in the January 20 shooting that resulted in the death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland.
A federal grand jury on Thursday returned a four-count indictment against 21-year-old Youngblut, accusing her of Maland’s murder, assault on two other agents with a deadly weapon, and related firearms charges.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi has officially approved seeking the death penalty, with the acting U.S. attorney for Vermont’s District filing a notice of intent for the case, according to a Thursday announcement from the agency.
Youngblut is allegedly associated with “Ziz,” a marginalized group advocating veganism, anti-government sentiments, and transgender rights, which federal authorities suspect is linked to several homicides across the U.S.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi delivers remarks during a DOJ and DEA joint briefing on combating drug cartels and drug trafficking as part of the Justice Department’s Operation Take Back America Initiative at the DEA Headquarters in Arlington, Va., on July 15, 2025. (Craig Hudson For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The Trump admin’s decision to fast-track Youngblut’s death penalty case came after her attorneys accused the DOJ’s timeline of being “unprecedentedly tight” and warned it could render the pretrial process “a near-pointless formality.”
“This Court should step in to ensure Ms. Youngblut receives a meaningful opportunity to persuade the government not to pursue the death penalty,” a July 30 pretrial motion said.
The defense asked the court to extend the deadline to Jan. 30, 2026, arguing the current pace denies Youngblut due process.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ and Youngblut’s defense attorneys, Steven Barth and Julie Stelzig, for comment.
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