DANE AND VERNON COUNTY, Wis (WRCO / WRCE) – Vernon County and Dane County Sheriff’s Departments have provided an update to the July 8, incident and subsequent death investigation.

Late Tuesday afternoon, at approximately 4 p.m., the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office 911 Communications Center received a report that the suspect in a double homicide that occurred in Dane County was traveling west on US Highway 14, approaching Vernon County. A Wisconsin State Patrol trooper was following the suspect and requested assistance.

Multiple responding officers from the Sheriff’s Office and the Viroqua Police Department and multiple law enforcement communications professionals worked with the state patrol in a coordinated response. Once officers were positioned south of Viroqua to prevent entry into the populated area, a traffic stop was initiated, and the operator immediately complied by pulling onto the westbound shoulder near Offerdahl Road.

Vernon County Sheriff, Roy Torgerson, says the team performed how they are trained in high-risk vehicle contacts, using verbal commands for the operator, or any occupants to obey, but there was no response.

After no response to further verbal commands and observation with no movement inside the vehicle, a tactical approach was made. At approximately 5:20 p.m., contact was made confirming the operator was the lone occupant and there were no signs of life.

It was apparent that the operator, identified as James David Pabst, 25 of Middleton, sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Paramedics with Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance responded, but Pabst was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene by Vernon County Coroner Betty Nigh, at 6:15 p.m.

The victims in the double homicide were David and Teresa Pabst. David had a nearly 40-year career with the State Patrol and was the State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety Director.

WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said in a press release:

David was an integral member of the Wisconsin State Patrol for more than 38 years, first serving as a Trooper and Inspector in the Northwest Region, promoted to Sergeant then to Lieutenant and then to Bureau Director. David served with integrity and compassion, and he had a deep commitment to keeping others safe. Many of you worked closely with David and many of you know him personally. He always had a smile and kind words to share. While some of you may not have known David, we want to acknowledge and celebrate his career spanning contributions to the Department and the public at large.

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