Authorities have identified the two individuals found dead in a home in the Town of Middleton on Tuesday, July 8, as David and Teresa “Teri” Pabst, both 64 years old.
The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed their identities Wednesday, noting that autopsies have been completed but their exact causes and manners of death remain pending as additional testing is conducted.
The tragic discovery was made after a concerned family member called 911 when the couple failed to arrive at a previously scheduled gathering. The relative went to the couple’s home on Stonebrook Circle around 2:20 p.m. and discovered their bodies.
Dane County deputies quickly responded and began what is now being investigated as a double homicide. Property records confirm that David and Teri Pabst owned the home where they were found.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office has since determined that their son, 25-year-old James Pabst, was the primary suspect. Investigators say James had left the home in a white Honda shortly before the family member arrived. He was believed to be armed and potentially dangerous.
Roughly two hours after the discovery of David and Teri’s bodies, Wisconsin State Patrol located James driving on U.S. Highway 14 in Vernon County. A traffic stop was initiated, but James refused to comply with officers’ commands.
For nearly an hour, troopers attempted to de-escalate the situation, urging him to exit the vehicle. When communication failed, tactical officers approached the vehicle and found James dead inside from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office is now conducting a separate investigation into the traffic stop, standoff, and James Pabst’s death.
According to preliminary findings by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, it is believed that James fatally shot his parents sometime after 9:30 p.m. on Monday, July 7. All three lived together at the Stonebrook Circle residence. Investigators also confirmed that James legally purchased the handgun he used in both the homicide and his own death.
Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett offered his condolences on behalf of the department, stating, “While this is no longer a criminal investigation, we will do all we can to provide the surviving family members the answers and closure they deserve.”
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the community, particularly within the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), where David Pabst served for nearly four decades. His distinguished career in public service included 25 years in law enforcement, beginning as a trooper and inspector with the State Patrol Northwest Region. He later rose through the ranks to become a sergeant, lieutenant, and eventually captain at the State Patrol’s Madison headquarters. In 2013, he was named Director of the Bureau of Transportation Safety and Technical Services.
In a heartfelt post on Facebook, WisDOT paid tribute to David, writing, “David always served with integrity and compassion, driven by a deep commitment to protect others… His contributions spanned the agency and communities across the state. David and Teri will be greatly missed.”
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office also expressed their sorrow, sharing in a public statement: “The world is a sadder place today as we reflect on the countless contributions that Director Pabst made to the safety and wellbeing of law-abiding citizens everywhere.”
As the investigation continues, friends, colleagues, and community members mourn the loss of two beloved individuals whose lives were devoted to family and public service.
