A 15-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman found dead in a vehicle in a St. Johnsbury, Vermont, parking lot last month.
The suspect, who is from Springfield, Massachusetts, will be charged as an adult in Vermont with second-degree murder. He is accused of shooting 38-year-old Christina Chatlos, of Williamstown and Barre, during a confrontation outside 510 Portland St. An autopsy determined that Chatlos died of a gunshot wound to the torso.
Vermont State Police said the teenage suspect was initially taken into custody after the shooting on an unrelated warrant out of Massachusetts. He was extradited there and remained in juvenile custody as the investigation into the St. Johnsbury homicide progressed. On Monday, Massachusetts State Police arrested the suspect on the Vermont murder warrant. He was expected to make an initial appearance Monday in juvenile court in Hampden County, Massachusetts and he will then be extradited to Vermont to face charges there. No date has been set yet for his arraignment in Vermont.
The investigation began on the evening of Jan. 23 when a passerby reported a vehicle containing apparent bullet holes in a parking lot and a person slumped over inside it. Officers found Chatlos dead at the scene, state police said.
Vermont has been grappling with a spike in gun violence in recent months, and both Gov. Phil Scott and the Legislature say public safety is among their top priorities.
