Centerville, South Dakota – A former mayor of a small town in Centerville, South Dakota faces charges for the killing of three men in a tragic triple-shooting incident. The events leading up to the shooting began when the former mayor’s wife informed him that a neighbor had sexually assaulted her, court documents revealed.
The incident took place in Centerville, a town with a population of fewer than 1,000 people located approximately 40 miles south of Sioux Falls, on May 27. Prior to the shooting, the former mayor’s wife disclosed to him an encounter where a neighbor had forcibly kissed her and exposed himself after a drinking session.
The allegation prompted the former mayor to leave the house in a furious state, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit. The wife stated that she was unaware of his whereabouts or if he was armed when he departed without saying a word. Subsequently, a 911 call was made by Zach Frankus reporting that his brother had been shot and killed with a shotgun by a man from across the street.
Upon entering the home, authorities discovered three deceased men with gunshot wounds identified as Paul Frankus, 26; Zach Frankus, 21; and Timothy Richmond, 35. The relationship between Richmond and the Frankus brothers remained unclear. The former mayor’s wife alleged that Paul Frankus had assaulted her, adding to the escalating tensions that led to the tragic outcome.
Law enforcement arrested the former mayor, 64, shortly after the incident while he was walking on the street near his residence. He was found with a rifle on the ground nearby and a handgun in his pocket. He is currently held in the Minnehaha County Jail on a $1 million cash bond facing three charges of first-degree murder.
The investigation remains ongoing as stated by the Attorney General’s office. Specific details surrounding the case are still being clarified, and the former mayor’s wife has yet to provide any additional comments. The former mayor had served as Centerville’s mayor from May 2009 until his resignation in November 2011, the reasons for his departure remaining unspecified.
In a related incident, a former police chief filed a federal lawsuit against Centerville and the former mayor in July 2010. The lawsuit cited gender-based comments deemed unwelcome and degrading. Following mediation in 2012, the case was dismissed after settlement.