15-year-old shoots woman in parking lot dispute and leaves her to die, Vermont cops say
A teenager was arrested and charged in connection to the shooting death of a Vermont woman, police said.
The woman was found shot dead Jan. 23 in a St. Johnsbury parking lot near Cornerstone School, which serves children with disabilities from kindergarten to eighth grade, according to a Feb. 26 Vermont State Police news release. Now more than a month later, a 15-year-old was charged with murder in connection to her death.
A passerby noticed a vehicle with bullet holes in the parking lot at about 6 p.m. and called St. Johnsbury Police Department to investigate, authorities said.
The bystander spotted a person inside who appeared to be “slumped over,” and on a closer look by officers, they found the woman dead inside, according to police.
Authorities informed the community that they believed the shooting was an “isolated event with no identified threat” to the public. The woman’s body was sent to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for an autopsy shortly after, police said.
The woman was identified by the medical examiner as 38-year-old Christina Chatlos, police said. The Williamstown-Barre resident’s death was caused by a gunshot wound to her torso, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to authorities.
While Chatlos’ autopsy was being conducted, state police said they spoke with witnesses in the area and tried to pinpoint any video evidence of the shooting. As part of the investigation, two people were detained by state police, authorities said.
Then, state police announced a 15-year-old suspect was arrested Feb. 26 in connection to Chatlos’ death by Massachusetts State Police.
The teenager was already in custody in Massachusetts due to an unrelated warrant, authorities said. He was in juvenile custody as the shooting investigation in Vermont proceeded, police said.
State police are charging the teenager as an adult with second-degree murder. He is accused of shooting and killing Chatlos during a confrontation in the parking lot, according to police.
The teenager is awaiting extradition to Vermont from the Caledonia County State’s Attorney’s Office, police said. The investigation by Vermont State Police is ongoing.
St. Johnsbury is about 35 miles northeast from Montpelier.
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