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PA Couple’s Murder Tied To Border Patrol Agent’s Killing: Officials

The brutal slaying of a Chester Heights couple in their home is now linked to the recent killing of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont, authorities announced on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Richard and Rita Zajko were shot dead inside their Highland Drive home on Dec. 31, 2022, investigators said. Their bodies were discovered on Jan. 2, 2023, after a family member requested a welfare check. Initially, authorities had not determined if the double homicide was a random act of violence, but new evidence suggests otherwise.

According to PSP Media's Criminal Investigation Unit, a firearm purchased by a person of interest in the Zajko case was later used in the Jan. 20, 2025, shooting of Border Patrol Agent David Maland, 44, near a Canadian border crossing in Coventry, Vermont.

Federal agents stopped a vehicle occupied by 21-year-old Teresa Youngblut and Felix "Ophelia" Bauckholt, a German citizen, for an immigration check. Youngblut allegedly opened fire on officers, fatally wounding Maland, while Bauckholt attempted to draw a weapon but was killed in the ensuing gunfight, federal authorities said.

Investigators now say Youngblut had been in frequent contact with a third individual—a person of interest in both the Zajko murders and a separate homicide in Vallejo, California. This individual, who has not been publicly named, allegedly purchased the firearms later used in Vermont.

During a search of the suspects' vehicle, agents discovered multiple electronic devices, travel records for various states, tactical gear, shooting range targets, and cellphones wrapped in foil—often used to evade electronic tracking, according to an FBI affidavit. Authorities also seized a journal, respirators, and night-vision goggles, raising further questions about the pair’s activities.

Youngblut remains in federal custody on weapons charges related to Maland’s killing. Prosecutors say she poses a significant danger to the public and has no ties to Vermont. A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

The Zajko case remains under active investigation. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact PSP Tips at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477) or submit an anonymous tip online at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=107.

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