On the evening of May 27, 2024, in the small town of Centerville, South Dakota, a violent encounter left three men dead, including 35-year-old Timothy E. Richmond. The incident, which also claimed the lives of brothers Paul Wyland Frankus, 26, and Zachary Ryan Frankus, 21, unfolded at a residence on Main Street.
The chain of events began with a frantic 911 call at 9:44 p.m. from Zachary Frankus, who reported that their neighbor had shot his brother with a shotgun.
During the call, Zachary himself was shot, and his communication with the dispatcher abruptly ended. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered the three men deceased inside the home.
As officers secured the area, a man was seen leaving the residence. This individual was identified as 64-year-old Jay Edward Ostrem, a former mayor of Centerville and a one-time law enforcement officer. Ostrem, who reportedly smelled of alcohol, was taken into custody. Authorities found him in possession of a handgun and an AR-style rifle, with spent shotgun and rifle casings also discovered.
The investigation into the triple homicide pointed to a possible motive rooted in an incident that occurred just days prior. According to court documents, Ostrem's wife had informed him on the evening of the murders about an alleged sexual assault by Paul Frankus that had happened on May 23. She reported that after she told her husband about the alleged incident, he became enraged and left their house. Ostrem has since been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and is being held on a $1 million cash-only bond. The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the ongoing investigation into the deaths.
