Updated

The suspected killers of a Border Patrol agent in Vermont are reportedly tied to a fringe group of vegan activists on the West Coast, whose members have been linked to a series of crimes.

German national Felix "Ophelia" Bauckholt and University of Washington student Teresa "Milo" Consuelo Youngblut were linked to Jack "Ziz" LaSota, a cult figure in the Bay Area in California, the Boston Globe reported.

The group believed in artifical intelligence theories, ethical reasoning and veganism, the outlet reported, citing a former friend of the pair, Jessica Taylor.

"They have this sort of anarchist, vegan critique of society," Taylor told the outlet, saying that they believed "you might do some violence that your society disapproves of, but your society does violence anywhere."

GUN USED IN VERMONT BORDER AGENT SHOOTOUT LINKED TO DOUBLE MURDER SUSPECT, PROSECUTORS SAY

Michelle J. Zajko

Michelle J. Zajko. (FBI)

Authorities recently launched a manhunt for Michelle Zajko, who has also been linked to the West Coast fringe group, in the killing of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David "Chris" Maland.

It is still unclear what brought members of the group to Vermont.

Law enforcement agencies in several states are searching for Zajko, who is considered "armed and dangerous," Albany’s Times Union reported, citing police records. 

David Maland

David Maland, a Minnesota native and U.S. Air Force veteran, worked as a Border Patrol agent at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Newport Station.  (U.S. Border Patrol)

Maland was gunned down near the Canada-Vermont border Jan. 20, and Youngblut, 21, was taken into custody.

"The United States Attorney’s Office District of Vermont has charged Youngblut with assault on a federal law enforcement officer," the FBI’s office in Albany said at the time. "Our hearts remain with our partners at U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector as they mourn this tremendous loss." 

GERMAN NATIONAL SUSPECT IDENTIFIED IN KILLING OF US BORDER PATROL AGENT IN VERMONT

Maland was shot and killed during a traffic stop of Youngblut between Newport and Orleans, Vermont. Her passenger, Bauckholt, was also armed but was fatally shot by federal agents after Youngblut opened fire, authorities said.

Zajko allegedly bought .40-caliber and .380-caliber handguns in February 2024 in Mount Tabor, Vermont, that were used in Maland’s shooting, the Times Union reported, citing court documents. 

Zajko is also considered a "person of interest" in a double murder in Pennsylvania and another murder in California, prosecutors revealed, without naming her. 

Investigations continue at the scene where a US Border Patrol Agent was shot dead in Vermont

A Border Patrol Agent moves a robotic device next to a Border Patrol vehicle on southbound Route 91 near Newport, Vt., where a U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot dead Jan. 20, 2025. (David McGlynn for Fox News Digital)

Maland, a Minnesota native and U.S. Air Force veteran, worked as a Border Patrol agent at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Newport Station. He spent nine years in the military and 15 working for the federal government. 

He was also a K-9 handler and previously served as a Border Patrol agent in Texas near the southern border, Maland's family told The Associated Press. 

"On January 20, 2025, at approximately 3:00 pm, an on-duty, uniformed United States Border Patrol (USBP) Agent initiated a stop of a blue 2015 Toyota Prius Hatchback with [a] North Carolina license plate ... to conduct an immigration inspection as it was driving southbound on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont," an FBI criminal complaint obtained by Fox News states.

"The registered owner of the vehicle, Felix Baukholt, a citizen of Germany, appeared to have an expired visa in a Department of Homeland Security database. Youngblut was driving the Prius, and Baukholt was the lone passenger in the Prius.  

Teresa Youngblut

Teresa Youngblut, charged by the FBI in the shooting death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland, in the office at the Newport City Inn Jan. 14, 2025, in Newport, Vt., in a still frame photograph from video released by the inn, which confirmed her identity. (Associated Press)

"Between approximately 3:00 pm and 3:15 pm, agents reported gunshots at the scene," the affidavit added. "Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Cameron Thompson was notified of the incident and responded to the scene of the stop, arriving at approximately 3:35 pm. 

"He spoke with two of the Border Patrol Agents involved in the incident. They described that both Baukholt and Youngblut possessed firearms and that Youngblut drew and fired a handgun toward at least one of the uniformed Border Patrol Agents without warning when outside the driver's side of the Prius." 

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The FBI's Albany office shared a statement with Fox News Digital that said: "As stated in open court and in court filings, Teresa Youngblut is believed to have associations with other individuals suspected of violent acts in multiple states, to include Pennsylvania and California. The FBI is coordinating information sharing on any case related details with our partners from various law enforcement agencies to effectively follow every lead and aggressively investigate these connections.

"As part of the continuous dialogue with those partners, especially following an assault on a law enforcement officer, the FBI routinely shares appropriate law enforcement information about potential persons of interest to enhance officer safety and situational awareness. As this is an ongoing investigation, the FBI cannot comment further on any additional details not included in the court filings." 

Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report.