Former Gillette police officer accused of murdering three in South Dakota

GILLETTE (WNE) — A former Gillette police officer has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder stemming from allegations that he shot and killed three people in South Dakota on Memorial Day.

Jay Edward Ostrem, 64, was charged Tuesday with three counts of first-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing three people in Centerville, South Dakota, according to court documents.

Ostrem was an officer with the Gillette Police Department from July 1982 until his retirement in 2003. After his time in Gillette he spent several years as a Turner County deputy and mayor of Centerville, according to South Dakota news outlet KELOLAND News.

He’s now accused of killing Paul W. Frankus, Zachary R. Frankus and Timothy E. Richmond on Monday night after suspecting his neighbor of sexually assaulting his wife several days prior.

Zach Frankus, 21, called in the shooting at about 9:44 p.m. Monday, telling the dispatcher that “a guy from across the street” had shot and killed his brother Paul, 26, with a shotgun, according to court documents, and that the shooter had gone back to his house.

While still on the phone with the dispatcher, Zach said he had been shot and stopped talking soon after, according to court documents.

A Game and Fish officer who arrived at the scene awaited backup and saw a man, later identified as Ostrem, leaving the home where the shooting took place through its attached garage.

Ostrem ignored orders to stop and continued walking west away from the scene of the shooting.

The Game and Fish officer and a Beresford Police Department Officer approached Ostrem and saw an AR-style rifle on the ground near him and noticed Ostrem bleeding from his left hand. They also smelled alcohol coming from Ostrem, according to court documents.

Ostrem remains held at Minnehaha County Jail with bond set at $1 million cash.

This story was published on May 30, 2024.