Editing Zizians (section)

==== Background ====
Before traveling to Vermont, Bauckholt and the other member lived in separate [[Airbnb]] rentals in [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]].<ref name="Ramer-2025">{{Cite web |last1=Ramer |first1=Holly |last2=McCormack |first2=Kathy |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Murder suspect appears to have sought marriage license with woman charged in Border Patrol shooting in Vermont |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/murder-suspect-appears-to-have-sought-marriage-license-with-woman-charged-i/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129042803/https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/murder-suspect-appears-to-have-sought-marriage-license-with-woman-charged-i/ |archive-date=January 29, 2025 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=[[The Press Democrat]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Both have been described as having cut off all contact with friends in fall 2023 and May 2024.<ref name="Bauman-2025">{{Cite web |last=Bauman |first=Anna |date=January 29, 2025 |title=Man accused of killing witness in Vallejo could face death penalty, DA says |url=https://openvallejo.org/2025/01/28/man-accused-of-killing-witness-in-vallejo-could-face-death-penalty-da-says/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129050147/https://openvallejo.org/2025/01/28/man-accused-of-killing-witness-in-vallejo-could-face-death-penalty-da-says/ |archive-date=January 29, 2025 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=Open Vallejo |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Homeland Security Investigations]] agents had been conducting "periodic surveillance" of them since January 14.<ref name="Schapiro-2025">{{Cite web |last1=Schapiro |first1=Rich |last2=Winter |first2=Tom |date=January 24, 2025 |title=Suspects in killing of U.S. border patrol agent had an arsenal of weapons |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-suspects-killing-us-border-patrol-agent-arsenal-weapons-rcna189098 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129091056/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-suspects-killing-us-border-patrol-agent-arsenal-weapons-rcna189098 |archive-date=January 29, 2025 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=[[NBC News]] |language=en}}</ref>

A hotel employee in [[Lyndonville, Vermont]], reportedly contacted law enforcement about the duo after seeing one of them carrying "an apparent firearm in an exposed carry holster". Both wore "all-black, tactical style clothing with protective equipment".<ref name="Schapiro-2025" /> After the report, [[Homeland Security]] agents contacted the duo, who refused to speak with them extensively. They said they were in Vermont only to purchase [[real estate]].<ref name="Schapiro-2025" /> The duo checked out of the Lyndonville hotel and were seen five days later in [[Newport (city), Vermont|Newport]], Vermont, with one of them carrying a handgun. The next day, hours before the shootout, the two were seen at a [[Walmart]], with Bauckholt buying aluminum foil.<ref name="Schapiro-2025" />

After the shooting, authorities found ammunition, a helmet, [[Night-vision device|night-vision]] [[monocular]]s, a tactical belt with a holster, a pair of [[walkie-talkie]]s, a [[Magazine (firearms)|magazine]] loaded with [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridges]], and shooting-range targets in their car. [[Smartphone]]s were also found, wrapped in [[aluminum foil]], apparently to [[Faraday cage|prevent their phones from being tracked]].<ref name="Schapiro-2025" /><ref name="Munson-2025">{{Cite web |last=Munson |first=Emilie |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Associates of woman in Border Patrol shooting tied to other homicides |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/associates-woman-border-patrol-shooting-tied-20058348.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128084044/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/associates-woman-border-patrol-shooting-tied-20058348.php |archive-date=January 28, 2025 |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times Union]]}}</ref> Their handguns were reportedly bought by an associate in [[Mount Tabor, Vermont]].<ref name="Gafni-2025">{{Cite news |last1=Gafni |first1=Matthias |last2=Barba |first2=Michael |date=January 27, 2025 |title=Bay Area killing may be tied to string of slayings across country |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/feds-probe-ties-vallejo-pennsylvania-vermont-20059487.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129071004/https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/feds-probe-ties-vallejo-pennsylvania-vermont-20059487.php |archive-date=January 29, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="DAuria-2025">{{Cite web |last1=D'Auria |first1=Peter |last2=Keays |first2=Alan J. |date=January 29, 2025 |title=Federal officials link 3rd 'person of interest' to Vermont border patrol agent's shooting |url=https://vtdigger.org/2025/01/28/federal-officials-link-third-person-of-interest-to-vermont-border-patrol-agents-shooting/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250201072428/https://vtdigger.org/2025/01/28/federal-officials-link-third-person-of-interest-to-vermont-border-patrol-agents-shooting/ |archive-date=February 1, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025 |website=[[VTDigger]] |language=en-US}}</ref>