Investigation continues into death of Ole Miss student, how her body wound up near lake 30 miles from campus
Published 2:39 pm Monday, July 22, 2019
The investigation into how a 21-year-old Ole Miss coed was killed and her body apparently dumped in plain sight continues, though few additional clues have surfaced publicly.
A Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office deputy reportedly found the body of Alexandria “Ally” Kostial, from St. Louis, Missourit, at approximately 10:23 a.m. while making a “routine patrol” the sheriff’s office reported, meaning her body was apparently visible from a public roadway. Investigators said they suspected “foul play” but have given no additional information about the circumstances of her death or what the motive may have been.
She was found in Harmontown near Lake Sardis, investigators report. Harmontown is a small, unincorporated community approximately 30 miles from the University of Mississippi campus.
Kostial was studying to obtain a marketing degree from the Ole Miss business school.
“We are truly saddened by the death of Alexandria Kostial,” Ole Miss interim Chancellor Larry Sparks said in a statement. “Ally was a valued member of our campus community. We extend our deepest sympathy to her family, friends, and classmates and stand ready to support them during this time. We appreciate the work of the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department and coroner as they conduct their investigation.”
Kostial’s father, Keith Kostial, confirmed her death in a social media post over the weekend.
“Yesterday, Saturday afternoon, we were visited by the Sunset Hills MO Police who communicated to us that our beautiful dear Alexandria (Ally) Kostial was the victim of a homicide,” he wrote.