Paul Hellem dies in fatal St. Croix County murder-suicide shooting

Paul Hellem dies in fatal St. Croix County murder-suicide shooting

Fatal St. Croix County shooting death of Paul Hellem – Obituary

Paul P. Hellem, 65, died by suicide after reportedly shooting and killing 58-year-old Martha M. Woltman of Stillwater, Minnesota, at a rural property in Hersey, Wisconsin, earlier this week. The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Hellem was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near Woltman’s body during a welfare check on Monday night.

Authorities believe the murder-suicide took place sometime between Sunday afternoon and Monday evening at a site in Springfield Township, roughly 30 miles east of Hudson. The property, owned by one of Woltman’s relatives, had no permanent buildings, and Hellem had apparently been living in a camper there. Woltman kept goats on the land.

Deputies responded to the scene after Woltman’s daughter reported being unable to contact her mother. The last known contact with Woltman was a text she sent around 2 p.m. Sunday. Upon arrival, law enforcement found both individuals dead from single gunshot wounds, with no signs of a struggle. Sheriff Scott Knudson identified Woltman’s death as a homicide and Hellem’s as a suicide.

Hellem had a known history of domestic violence involving Woltman. In December 2023, he assaulted her during an argument at her Stillwater residence. He had initially faced a felony charge of domestic assault by strangulation, but later pleaded guilty to a lesser misdemeanor assault charge. The confrontation ended with Woltman fleeing the house and alerting a nearby mail carrier to call 911. She told authorities Hellem had dragged her by the hair and choked her, making it difficult to breathe.

Following his arrest, Hellem was charged with domestic assault and DUI. In October, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 80 days stayed, and placed on supervised probation for one year. Despite a protective order issued in December 2023, a judge lifted it in June 2024. Court documents did not state the reason.

Hellem’s death marks the third domestic-related fatality in St. Croix County this year. Sheriff Knudson noted that these incidents were not random, but acts of violence committed by trusted individuals. “These are people who were supposed to be partners,” Knudson said. “It’s been a painful and tragic year.”