CENTERVILLE, SD – A former mayor and ex-sheriff’s deputy from Centerville is in custody after allegedly killing three men on Monday night. Jay Edward Ostrem, 64, reportedly acted upon learning that one of the men had sexually assaulted his wife.
Ostrem is being held at the Minnehaha County Jail with a $1 million cash-only bond. He faces three counts of first-degree murder, each carrying a potential life sentence without parole, according to Attorney General Marty Jackley.
“There is no further threat to the public,” Jackley stated in a press release.
Ostrem’s law enforcement career spans decades, including time as a Turner County sheriff’s deputy and a long tenure in Wyoming. He was involved in the investigation of Deputy Chad Mechels’ death in 2009, a case that ended with Ethan Johns receiving a life sentence.
In 2010, Ostrem faced a federal lawsuit for sexual harassment from former Police Chief Rachel Kopman, which was settled in 2012. His law enforcement certification expired in 2016.
A complaint filed Tuesday in Turner County identifies the three victims, though their names are withheld pending notification of next of kin. One of the men allegedly assaulted Ostrem’s wife, while another was a relative who called the police before being shot.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Ostrem’s wife disclosed the assault to him, prompting him to leave their home in a rage. Ostrem was later found with an AR-style rifle and a .380 pistol. A conservation officer who encountered him noted an odor of alcohol, and Ostrem complied with commands to stop walking.
The date for Ostrem’s initial court appearance has not yet been set, according to the Turner County Clerk of Court.