(The Center Square) – Authorities and family members have put together the pieces from two crime scenes, and believe they add up to a murder-suidice involving one of the Wisconsin State Patrol’s top officials.
The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office this week identified David and Teri Pabst as the victims of a double homicide in Middleton ay.
The sheriff in Vernon County then identified their son, James, as the man who killed himself during a standoff later the same day.
On Thursday, the Pabsts’ daughters said it appears her brother killed her parents, fled, and eventually killed himself.
The sheriff’s office said deputies and officers from the Viroqua Police Department stopped James Pabst and said he “refused to cooperate with verbal commands.” That led to a standoff, which ended with James Pabst taking his own life.
The Dane County ME’s office has not yet said how the older Pabsts died. There is also no motive for the Pabsts’ killings.
The Pabsts’ daughters released a statement.
“They were proud grandparents to seven grandchildren and the most loving parents to all five of their children,” the statement said. “If you were lucky enough to have encountered them in your life, you know what kind, generous, and empathetic people they were.”
David Pabst was the Bureau of Transportation director for the State Patrol, a job he held since 2013. Before that Pabst was a trooper, an inspector, a lieutenant, and finally a captain at the State Patrol headquarters in Madison.
“Our dad was proud to come from a long line of public servants in the state of Wisconsin,” his daughters said in their statement. “He truly had a passion for keeping people safe on the roads of Wisconsin. He was the type of person who would drop everything to help someone in need. He showed up for people on their worst days and his compassion was
unmatched. His impact was felt all around the state and will continue to be for a long time.”
Teri Pabst was a teacher, and spent her entire career in schools, including Madison Metropolitan Schools and the schools in Middleton.
“Our mom thrived when she could make a difference in the life of a child. Please know that if you ever worked with her or had a child who was lucky enough to be taught by her, that our family heard daily about how proud she was of you,” her daughters added.
There’s no word when the Dane County ME will announce a cause of death in the Pabsts’ killings. Their autopsies took place Wednesday, but the ME’s office said it is waiting for test results.
