Jay Edward Ostrem, a former Centerville, South Dakota mayor and one-time Turner County sheriff’s deputy, was arrested on May 27, 2024 and charged with three counts of first-degree murder following a deadly confrontation.
Ostrem, 64, allegedly shot and killed three men after learning that one of them had sexually assaulted his wife. According to a probable cause affidavit, Ostrem’s wife told police that on May 23 a neighbor from across the street had sexually assaulted her while both were drinking while Ostrem was asleep. After receiving the news about the incident on May 27, Ostrem “got up and stormed out of the house.”
A 911 call was made at 9:44 p.m. that evening, reporting that a family member had been shot. The caller, later identified as a relative of the victims, was also shot while still on the phone and subsequently stopped communicating with the dispatcher. Law enforcement quickly responded to the scene.
A South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks conservation officer was the first to encounter Ostrem after the shooting. The officer reported detecting an odor of consumed alcohol from the suspect, who complied with the officer’s commands and informed him about the pistol in his pocket. An AR-style rifle was also on the ground next to him
Inside the residence, three men were discovered dead from gunshot wounds. The victims, identified as two brothers and another man, have not been publicly named pending notification of next of kin. One of the victims was the alleged perpetrator of the sexual assault.
Attorney General Marty Jackley confirmed the charges in a press release, stating that Ostrem faces three counts of first-degree murder. “There is no further threat to the public,” Jackley assured the community.
Ostrem’s background in law enforcement is extensive. He served as a Turner County sheriff’s deputy in the early 2000s after a two-decade career in Wyoming. He was notably involved in the investigation of the 2009 death of Deputy Chad Mechels, who was killed by Ethan Johns. Johns is currently serving a life sentence for that crime.
In 2010, Ostrem’s tenure as mayor of Centerville was marred by a lawsuit filed by former Police Chief Rachel Kopman, who accused him of sexual harassment. Kopman claimed she was subjected to inappropriate sexual remarks for over a year before being dismissed. The lawsuit was resolved in 2012.
According to Tony Mangan, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s office, Ostrem’s law enforcement certification expired in 2016. The incident on May 27 was not his first encounter with legal issues, but it has undoubtedly been the most severe.
Ostrem is being held at the Minnehaha County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond. The Turner County Clerk of Court stated that his initial court appearance date had not been scheduled yet.
