Police make arrest in Jan. 23 St. J slaying
By Guy Page
A 15-year-old from Springfield, MA has become the second Vermont teen in the last four months to be charged in adult court for murder.
The Caledonian-Record reports that Mohamed Said, 15, a Maine native now living in Springfield, MA, has been charged with felony second-degree murder in connection with the January 23 St. Johnsbury killing of Christina Chatlos, 38, of Barre and Williamstown.
Said is now detained in Massachusetts. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
According to police reports published by the Caledonian-Record, Said was one of two youths involved in the shooting, which took place on a street near a school.
A witness said shots were fired, then he/she heard one of the two youths say he was going to kill Chatlos, who was sitting in a car. He put a gun to her head and pulled the trigger, the witness said. Chatlos died of gunshot wounds to the torso, police say.
Chatlos’ connection, if any, with Said is not clear – whether as an unfortunate bystander or as a specific target. Chatlos was arrested on drug charges in Graniteville in 2022 and in Barre in 2020.
In October, Hussein Mohamed, 14, of Burlington – also the son of New American refugees – was charged with the second-degree murder of another teen in Bristol.