In a shocking turn of events, the former mayor of Centerville, South Dakota, Jay Edward Ostrem, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the fatal shootings of Zachary Ryan Frankus, 21, his brother Paul Wyland Frankus, 26, and Timothy E. Richmond, 35. The incident occurred on Monday, May 27, in the small town of Centerville.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, the 911 call came through the county’s dispatch center at 9:44 p.m. The caller, who identified himself as Zach Frankus, reported that their neighbor had fatally shot his brother with a shotgun and that he had also been shot. Shortly after reporting his injury, the caller stopped communicating with the dispatcher.
When investigators arrived at the scene, they observed Ostrem, a 64-year-old former sheriff’s investigator in Turner County, leaving the residence. An officer stopped Ostrem, who admitted to having a gun in his pocket. Investigators secured the handgun and found an automatic rifle on the ground nearby, along with spent shotgun shell casings and at least one spent rifle casing in his possession. The arresting officer noted that Ostrem smelled of alcohol.
Investigators discovered three men dead inside the home. A female family member of Ostrem’s, residing just a few houses away, told investigators that one of the neighbors had come over while Ostrem was sleeping on Thursday, May 23, and the two had consumed alcohol. She alleged that the man had sexually assaulted her. She also claimed that earlier on the night of the shootings, she had informed Ostrem about the alleged assault, and he “got up and went raging out of the house” without saying anything to her.
Ostrem, who had previously worked in law enforcement, was known to have weapons in his home and possibly inside his vehicle. He is currently being held at the Minnehaha County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond. His initial court appearance is set for 4 p.m. CDT on May 28 at the Clay County Courthouse in Vermillion, South Dakota.
The small community of Centerville has been left reeling from this tragic incident, as they grapple with the loss of three young lives and the shocking allegations against their former mayor. As the investigation continues, more details may emerge about the events leading up to the shootings and the motives behind Ostrem’s alleged actions.
People.com
