By Raul Castillo
May 28, 2024, 10:07 PM EDT
Jay Ostrem, 64, former mayor of the South Dakota city of Centerville, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder following a tragic incident that left three people dead Monday night. State Attorney General Marty Jackley confirmed the arrest and assured that there are no further threats to the public.
Ostrem is currently being held at the Minnehaha County Jail, with bail set at $1 million cash. The names of the victims have not yet been released, as authorities are notifying their families.
The former mayor decided to represent himself in the legal case, according to court documents published by NBC News. Ostrem took over as Centerville mayor in May 2009 and resigned in November 2011. The reasons for his resignation were not specified in city documents.
In July 2010, Ostrem faced a federal lawsuit from the city’s former police chief, who accused him of sexual harassment. The lawsuit, still ongoing, alleges that Ostrem made inappropriate and degrading comments based on gender, including comments about menstruation and the ability of women to perform jobs he considered “men’s.”
Commotion in the city
The former police chief received no disciplinary action or reports against her until she reported discrimination to the state Division of Human Rights in October 2009, according to the lawsuit.
Centerville, a small community with fewer than 1,000 residents, is located about 250 miles southeast of Pierre, the state capital, according to NBC News. This tragic event has shocked the quiet town, which now faces the reality that one of its former leaders is implicated in a multiple murder case.
Attorney General Jackley did not provide additional details about the motive behind the murders, but assured the public that investigations are ongoing and all necessary steps will be taken to ensure justice.
This case has generated considerable media attention and it is expected that the coming days will reveal more details about the events that led to this tragic incident.
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