Deadly Town of Middleton shooting prompts mental health message from Pabst son’s girlfriend
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Deadly Town of Middleton shooting prompts mental health message from Pabst son’s girlfriend
James Pabst shot and killed his parents in their Town of Middleton home. His girlfriend, Sienna Lewis, wants to eliminate the stigma around mental health awareness. “I just really want Juliette, our baby, to remember him for who his friends said that he was, and those happy times that we did get to have,” Lewis said. If you or a loved one needs help, call or text the suicide hotline at 988-988-8255 or go to www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org for details.
Sienna Lewis’ emotions are raw.
“I lost my world,” she said.
She is grieving a loss.
“James was my boyfriend from July 18th of last year until July 8th last Tuesday,” Lewis said.
July 8 is the last time she heard his voice. It was the day James Pabst took his own life in Vernon County, hours after the Dane County Sheriff’s Office said he shot and killed his parents in their Town of Middleton home.
“I feel conflicted because I know that James was struggling, and I know that he was hurting, and I consider him a victim of his mind,” she said. “He had options, and I just wish that he let people help him.”
Deadly Town of Middleton shooting prompts mental health message from Pabst son’s girlfriend (WMTV)
As Sienna addresses the struggles her partner faced, his sisters acknowledged his mental health too.
“We are devastated to have lost our brother James to his debilitating illness. For those of you who knew him, please remember him for who he was before,” the Pabst daughters said.
Lewis now wants to eliminate the stigma around mental health awareness.
“Mental health is a subject that is not talked about enough until something tragic like this happens,” Lewis said.
Lewis said she shares a daughter with James, who was born in March.
“I just really want Juliette, our baby, to remember him for who his friends said that he was and those happy times that we did get to have,” Lewis said.
She vows to be a shoulder to lean on for others.
“What James did does not have to be an option. Please speak up and please, please, please talk to your friends and talk to your family,” Lewis said.
If you or a loved one needs help. You can call or text the suicide hotline at 988. The line is open 24 hours a day with help in English and Spanish.
The Wisconsin State Patrol will be wearing mourning badges in honor of David Pabst, who worked there for nearly 40 years.
His wife Teri was a teacher, and she was remembered by the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District earlier this week.
Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.
Copyright 2025 WMTV. All rights reserved.