Jay Edward Ostrem, 64, a former mayor of Centerville, South Dakota, and previous Turner County sheriff’s deputy, was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder on May 27, 2024, following a fatal altercation.
Ostrem allegedly shot and killed three men after discovering that one of them had sexually assaulted his wife. An affidavit indicated that Ostrem’s wife reported to the police that she had been sexually assaulted by a neighbor on May 23 while they were both drinking and Ostrem was asleep. Upon hearing about the assault on May 27, Ostrem abruptly left the house.
A 911 call was placed at 9:44 p.m. on the same day, with the caller reporting a family member had been shot. The caller, later identified as a relative of the victims, was shot while still on the call and subsequently stopped communicating with the dispatcher. Police promptly arrived at the scene.
A conservation officer from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks first encountered Ostrem post-shooting. The officer reported smelling alcohol on Ostrem, who complied with the officer’s instructions and informed him about the pistol in his pocket. An AR-style rifle was found on the ground next to Ostrem.
Upon entering the residence, officers found three men dead from gunshot wounds, Zachary Ryan Frankus, 21, and his brother Paul Wyland Frankus, 26, as well as Timothy E. Richmond, 35. One of the victims was the alleged sexual assault perpetrator.
Ostrem was officially charged with three counts of first-degree murder, as confirmed by Attorney General Marty Jackley in a press release. Jackley assured the community that there is no ongoing threat to public safety.
Ostrem has a lengthy history in law enforcement. He served as a Turner County sheriff’s deputy after a 20-year career in Wyoming. Notably, Ostrem was involved in the investigation of Deputy Chad Mechels’ death in 2009, who was killed by Ethan Johns. Johns is currently serving a life sentence for the crime.
However, Ostrem’s term as mayor of Centerville in 2010 was tainted by a lawsuit filed by former Police Chief Rachel Kopman, who alleged sexual harassment by Ostrem. Kopman claimed she endured inappropriate sexual comments for over a year before being fired. The lawsuit was settled in 2012.
Ostrem’s law enforcement certification expired in 2016, according to Tony Mangan, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s office. While this incident on May 27 was not Ostrem’s first brush with the law, it is by far the most severe.
Currently, Ostrem is detained at the Minnehaha County Jail with a $1 million cash-only bond. The Turner County Clerk of Court has not yet scheduled his initial court appearance.
