A tragic series of events unfolded in Wisconsin earlier this week, as the director of the Bureau of Transportation Safety for Wisconsin State Patrol, David Pabst, and his wife, Teresa Pabst, were found dead in their Middleton home. Authorities believe their son, 25-year-old James Pabst, shot them on Monday night before eventually taking his own life after a standoff with law enforcement. WISN details that the grim discovery was made by a family member concerned after the couple failed to reach their expected destination Tuesday morning.
The couple's demise was labeled as a double homicide, and subsequent autopsies are awaiting further testing to determine the exact cause and manner of death, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. David, 64, and Teri Pabst, also 64, were high-ranking members of their community which has left many in shock as they come to terms with the events. On Tuesday afternoon, after law enforcement located James driving a white Honda Accord, a pursuit ensued, and a standoff took place in Vernon County.
During the standoff, which lasted approximately an hour after Vernon County sheriff's deputies attempted a traffic stop, James Pabst refused to exit his vehicle or respond to commands. FOX6Now reports that when officers approached the vehicle, they found that James had died by suicide. The Sheriff's Office expressed condolences, stating "our sincerest condolences go out to the Pabst family, their friends, and neighbors," as conveyed by the Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett.
The situation concluded near Patterson Road, when after non-compliance from James Pabst to verbal commands, officers confirmed at 5:21 p.m. that the son had sustained self-inflicted gunshot wounds with no signs of life existing. The Vernon County Coroner officially pronounced him dead at the scene at 6:15 p.m., as noted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Multiple agencies were involved in the response, including the Viroqua Police Department, the Vernon County Highway Department, and Vernon County Emergency Management.
The Dane County Sheriff's Office is no longer treating this as a criminal investigation, but has committed to providing the surviving family members with answers, and closure.
