Victims shot and killed by former Centerville mayor Jay Ostrem identified

[Golden123]

<modsnip - Spam source. See below for appropriate source>

 

[Mack the Knife]

I’m not sure that’s a reliable news source. Seems like they might be one of those site that just scrapes other news sources for whatever is hot. Here is an alternative that seems like it might be one of their sources: Former Centerville mayor charged with triple murder in Turner County

Story so far is that on May 23, 64 y/o Jay Ostrem’s wife (whose age is thus far unreported) was drinking with 26 y/o Paul Frankus, who then tried to expose himself to the wife and forcibly kissed her. She then told her husband about it a few days later on May 27, and he immediately stormed out and killed Paul, his little brother, and a third man? And whether he brought them from his home or found one along the way, he somehow ended up with both a rifle and a handgun.

I imagine this story is going to change a bunch.

 

[Seattle1]

Ostrem makes first appearance in court following alleged murders

Jay Ostrem appeared before a judge in Clay County where he faces three first-degree murder charges following a shooting in Centerville on Memorial Day.

www.dakotanewsnow.com

5/29/24

VERMILLION, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - A Centerville man who faces murder charges made his first court appearance on Wednesday.

Jay Ostrem appeared before a judge in Clay County where he faces three first-degree murder charges following a shooting in Centerville on Memorial Day.

Ostrem’s initial court appearance was short, lasting under 15 minutes.

Family members of the victims were present as the judge read off the charges against Ostrem. The room was quiet except for sobbing from family members as each first-degree murder charge was read.

[..]

The former Centerville Mayor’s murder charges, all three class A felonies, have a minimum punishment of death or life in prison. Ostrem acknowledged before a judge that he understood the charges and his rights. He also applied for a court-appointed attorney.

While the crime occurred in Turner County, the initial court appearance was moved to Clay County. First Judicial Circuit Court Administrator Kim Allison said this was due to the Turner County Courthouse being unavailable because of structural concerns.

[..]

“Normally this would have gone before Judge Bucher for initial appearance, but she is actually on vacation so Judge Sorensen filled in and she had court all day in Yankton so this was the most convenient location to hold a hearing,” said Allison.

Family members brought signs into the courthouse to honor the victims, but they needed to be left outside the courtroom.

[..]

The state said that it intends to present in front of a Grand Jury and Ostrem’s Circuit Court arraignment will be on June 20 in Salem.

********Video of hearing at MSM link above.*******

 

[Seattle1]

South Dakota Attorney General

atg.sd.gov

5/28/24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a 64-year-old Centerville man has been charged with three counts of First Degree Murder in connection with the shooting deaths of three people Monday night in Centerville.

Jay Ostrem (Ah-strum) is being held on a $1 million cash only bond in the Minnehaha County Jail.

Names of the three victims have not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.

The incident was reported near 10 p.m. Monday night at a residence in Centerville.

“Jay Ostrem has been arrested and charged with three counts of First Degree Murder, and law enforcement has secured the scene,” said Attorney General Jackley. “There is no further threat to the public.”

South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation. Other agencies involved are the Centerville Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, Beresford Police Department, Viborg Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, and Turner County Sheriff’s Department.

The defendant is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.

 

[Seattle1]

America's most no-nonsense cop? South Dakota Mayor's past

Jay Ostrem, 64, was jailed on $1 million cash-only bond on three counts of first degree murder following a shooting on Memorial Day.

www.dailymail.co.uk

5/30/24

Jay Ostrem, 64, was jailed on $1 million cash-only bond on three counts of first degree murder following a shooting on Memorial Day.

Ostrem had previously worked in law enforcement for more than two decades in Wyoming and South Dakota.

Paul Frankus, 26, left, and his 21-year-old brother Zach, right, were both shot dead on Monday

[...]

A probable cause affidavit identified the victims as two brothers Paul Frankus, 26, and his 21-year-old brother Zach and Timothy Richmond, 35.

Zach Frankus, called police on Monday night to report that his brother had been shot by 'a guy from across the street' and that the shooter had gone back home.

Frankus was still on the phone with a dispatcher when he said that he had been shot, too.

He was described as 'frantic'. Frankus then stopped talking, charging documents state.

Authorities raced to the scene, where a Game Fish and Parks officer saw Ostrem leaving the home identified as the scene of the shooting.

Ostrem initially ignored commands to stop before laying down on the ground. He was arrested a short time later.

An AR-style rifle was on the ground near him, and he had a handgun in his pocket. Police noted how Ostrem was bleeding from his left hand and smelling of alcohol.

 

[Seattle1]

Former mayor of South Dakota town charged in shooting deaths of 3 men

Jay Ostrem, 64, was booked into the Minnehaha County Jail on Tuesday in connection with the shootings in in Centerville, South Dakota.

www.usatoday.com

5/28/24

[..]

Jay Ostrem, 64, was booked Tuesday morning into the Minnehaha County Jail in connection with the Monday night shootings in Centerville, just south of Sioux Falls, according to the South Dakota Attorney General's office. Ostrem, who served as the mayor of small town Centreville nearly 15 years ago, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and is being held on a $1 million bond.

Gunfire was reported at a Centerville home shortly before 10 p.m. Monday, court documents show. Zach Frankus, one of the victims who reported the shooting, said his brother had been shot and killed by a man with a shotgun, adding that the shooter had returned to his home. After some time, Frankus told the dispatcher that he had been shot and eventually stopped speaking.

Documents say responding authorities saw Ostrem leaving the home. Ostrem initially ignored commands to stop before laying down on the ground, documents say.

Ostrem was bleeding from his left hand and smelled of alcohol, documents say. He had an AR-style rifle and a .380 handgun, as well as spent shotgun shell casings and a spent rifle casing.

Ostrem's initial appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether Ostrem has an attorney.

[..]

Ostrem's wife said he raged out of house​

Authorities found three men dead inside the home. Court documents identify them as Paul Frankus, 26, Zach Frankus, 21, and Timothy Richmond, 35.

Ostrem's wife told authorities at his nearby home that she and Paul Frankus had been drinking together on May 23 when he forcibly kissed her and exposed his genitals to her, court records say.

 

[Seattle1]

5/29/24

Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital identified the deceased as 21-year-old Zach Frankus, 26-year-old Paul Frankus and 35-year-old Timothy Richmond. The spat between the three and the former Centerville mayor, Jay Ostrem, 64, was allegedly a result of a sexual assault against Ostrem's wife.

Victim Zach Frankus reported the shooting at 9:44 pm. Monday from a residence in Centerville, telling Lincoln County Sheriff's Office dispatchers that his brother had been shot and killed by a man with a shotgun, and the shooter had returned to his home. Some time later, Zach told the dispatcher that he too had been shot before he stopped speaking.

"You could hear just pop," witness Mark Weets told local TV station KELO. "I think I heard about five rounds go off and so I started kind of peeking out the window and looking around and recording. There were people that were running – running down Main Street here, and one of them surrendered down there about a block down there and gave up, they arrested them."

 

[Mack the Knife]

You can get the connection between Jay Ostrem and Paul Frankus—Paul (allegedly) tried to sexually assault Jay Ostrem’s wife so he goes to confront him and in a (maybe drunken) rage he shoots him. Still seems to be a disproportionate response to a forced kiss, and I think there may have been something else going on there, but you can get the connection.

But two other men are dead. Did he just go over and start shooting? Shoot Paul immediately and shoot others when they objected or JO realized that there were now witnesses? Even if something far more awful was done to JO’s wife, I don’t see how that results in going over and killing two men who just happened to be around.

 

[tlcya]

yeah, gonna wait for more details. I find it odd the wife was hanging out drinking with her young neighbor and he attempted to force himself on her. Doesn't ring true for me. I feel there is more to this story but if so, it will come out in the wash.

 

[tlcya]

While working for the police department in Gillette, Wyoming, Ostrem had two lawsuits filed against him concerning his use of force.

In 2000 Patrick Wayne Dalby, who was the suspect in the robbery of a clothing store, filed a suit claiming unnecessary force.

Dalby claimed that Ostrem hit him with the butt of a semi-automatic rifle which caused him to lose his left eye while arresting him in April 1999.
[snip]
Ostrem is set to make his next appearance in court on June 20.
America's most no-nonsense cop? South Dakota Mayor's past

Wife alleges the unwanted advances were made on Thursday, but she waited until Monday to tell her husband (who was apparently drunk at that time).