S. Dakota Gov. signs off on extradition of Palm Springs murder suspect

A man accused of murdering his mother and then transporting her body to South Dakota is one step closer to extradition. South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard has signed the extradition order paving the way for Tosten Walsh Lommen to be returned to Riverside County to face charges for the December homicide.

According to the Governor’s office, Daugarrd received the request yesterday and signed it immediately. The office says that the paperwork has been sent to the proper authorities to begin his return.

Yesterday, 31-year-old’s extradition took a key step forward after weeks of inactivity, when Governor Jerry Brown of California signed off on his state’s side of the paperwork.

According to the Governor’s office, they have requested that Lommen, who is fighting extradition, be returned to face those charges, “A requisition packet was sent to the South Dakota Governor yesterday for consideration/review. Assuming the South Dakota Governor approves the request/warrant, Riverside County will be notified and the extradition will proceed,” says Evan Westrup, Office of Governor Jerry Brown.

On January 1, Lommen was stopped by South Dakota law enforcement after a 50-mile long high-speed chase and arrested for eluding the police and drunk driving. During the subsequent search of his vehicle, the body of his mother, 58-year-old Michelle Nanette Walsh, was discovered.