DavidPabst,Teri Pabst Obituary, Death; – The head of the Bureau of Transportation Safety for the Wisconsin State Patrol and his spouse were victims of a double homicide in Middleton.
David and Teri Pabst, both aged 64, were confirmed as the deceased on July 8, as stated in a press release from the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office. Autopsies were conducted on July 9, and the determination of the cause and manner of death for the couple is still pending, with additional testing underway.
The individual suspected of the crime, whose identity was not disclosed in the release, took his own life following a standoff approximately 80 miles from the site of the double homicide involving the married couple. Police officers from Vernon County responded to the incident, according to the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. This occurred after the suspect fled from the couple’s home in Middleton and was subsequently located by the Wisconsin State Patrol, as reported by the Sheriff’s Office.
The suspect did not adhere to verbal commands, leading to the standoff. This situation resulted in the closure of a portion of Highway 14, between Readstown and Viroqua, for several hours, as noted by Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson in a Facebook post.
Teri previously served in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District from 2017 to 2022, as indicated by a statement from the district. She held positions as a special education teacher, paraeducator, and case manager, according to the statement.
“Teri was a kind and compassionate educator,” remarked Dominique Ricks, Principal of Kromrey Middle School. “Her colleagues remember her as someone who was always willing to assist others.”
David had been the director of the state patrol bureau since 2013. Prior to this role, he dedicated 25 years to law enforcement, advancing from trooper and inspector in the State Patrol Northwest Region to sergeant, lieutenant, and captain at the State Patrol headquarters in Madison.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin State Patrol expressed their sorrow over the loss of their long-time colleague, David Pabst, and his wife Teri,” the department stated in a Facebook post.
“David consistently served with integrity and compassion, motivated by a profound commitment to safeguarding others. He was always seen with a smile and a kind word to share.
