Timothy Richmond

Timothy Richmond, a 35-year-old White man, was one of three people killed in a violent encounter on the evening of May 27, 2024, in the small town of Centerville, South Dakota. The incident also claimed the lives of brothers Paul Wyland Frankus, 26, and Zachary Ryan Frankus, 21. The shooting took place inside a residence in the community of about 950 people.

The chain of events began with a frantic 911 call at 9:44 p.m. from Zachary Frankus. He told dispatchers that his brother Paul had been shot with a shotgun by a man from across the street. During the call, Zachary reported that he, too, had been shot, and then his communication with the dispatcher abruptly ended. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered the three men deceased inside the home with apparent gunshot wounds.

As officers secured the area, they saw a man leaving the residence where the victims were found. The man was identified as 64-year-old Jay Edward Ostrem, a neighbor, 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 .380 handgun and an AR-style rifle. The investigation pointed to a possible motive rooted in an incident that occurred just days prior. According to court documents, Ostrem’s wife told investigators that on the evening of the murders, she had informed her husband about an alleged sexual assault by Paul Frankus that had happened on May 23. She reported that after she told him, he became enraged and "raged out of the house."

Ostrem was arrested and initially charged with three counts of first-degree murder. In June 2024, a grand jury indicted him on nine felony counts, including alternate charges of second-degree murder and murder in the commission of a burglary. He entered pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.

In March 2026, a jury found Jay Ostrem guilty of three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Timothy Richmond, Paul Frankus, and Zachary Frankus. On May 14, 2026, Ostrem was sentenced in Turner County Circuit Court to three consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole. This sentence concluded the legal proceedings in the case as of May 2026.