Ex-Mayor In Custody For Allegedly Murdering Three People

A former mayor of Centerville was arrested and charged with murder on Monday after allegedly killing three people.

Jay Edward Ostrem, 64, has been charged with three counts of murder following the shooting deaths of three people on Monday night.

The incident occurred when the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office received a call from an individual named Zach Frankus, who reported a shooting at a residence in Centerville. According to Frankus, his brother had been shot and killed by a man with a shotgun, and the man had gone back into his home. Frankus also revealed that he had also been shot.

Former South Dakota mayor, law enforcement officer charged in triple murder https://t.co/rwGaiRYF8b

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 28, 2024

/div>

On arriving at the scene, authorities saw Ostrem leaving his home after ignoring their commands to stop until a Game, Fish and Parks officer approached him and demanded he get on the ground.

When the other officers approached him, they noticed he had an AR-style rifle on the ground near him. He was also bleeding from his left hand and reeked of alcohol.

Minnehaha County, South Dakota: Former Centerville mayor 64-year-old Jay Ostrem charged in triple murder investigationhttps://t.co/Kvrsi3nzkz

— Channel3 Now (@channel3nownews) May 28, 2024

When the officers entered the home where the 911 call was made, they found three people dead with gunshot wounds. The deceased were identified as Paul Frankus, 26, Zach Frankus, 21 and Timothy Richmond, 35.

Prior to the tragic incident, Ostrem’s wife revealed to the authorities that one of the deceased, Paul, had tried to assault her on May 23. The woman explained that after telling Ostrem about it, he got up and left the house without saying a word.

https://x.com/OfficialUScrime/status/1795668300976078882

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced the mayor’s arrest on Tuesday, indicating no further threat to the public.

“Jay Ostrem has been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder and law enforcement has secured the scene,” Jackley said. “There is no further threat to the public.”

Ostrem is being held in the Minnehaha County Jail on a $1 million cash bond. Ostrem had served as a police officer before becoming mayor. According to the Associated Press, Ostrem served as mayor of Centerville about a decade-and-a-half ago, but the exact date is currently unavailable.