Ole Miss student Ally Kostial died of 'multiple gunshot wounds,' investigators say

22-year-old Brandon Theesfeld from Fort Worth, Texas made his first court appearance in the shooting death of Ally Kostial, a marketing major in the University of Mississippi School of Business Administration; insight from Jake Thompson, reporter for the Oxford Eagle.

A 21-year-old University of Mississippi student who a friend claimed was "harassed" by her alleged killer "for years" died of "multiple gunshot wounds," according to a preliminary autopsy report released Wednesday.

The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department announced the result of the report Wednesday and formally ruled Kostial's death a homicide.


Fellow Ole Miss student Brandon Theesfeld, 22, was arrested Monday and has been charged with Kostial's murder. Authorities said Theesfeld was taken into custody at a gas station in Tennessee.

Law enforcement officials told Fox 13 Memphis that Theesfeld was found with clothing that appeared to have blood on it.

Kostial was found dead late Saturday near a lake in Harmontown, about 30 miles from the Ole Miss campus in Oxford.

On Tuesday a woman who said Kostial was her “best friend” tweeted of Theesfeld: "He harassed her for years, took advantage of her for years, I spent countless nights holding Ally close drying her tears about this monster for years.”

She continued, “You deserve hell you disgusting excuse for a human. #JusticeForAlly You will never diminish her sunshine.”

Tony Farese, a lawyer who is representing Theesfeld, said he and another Mississippi attorney, Steve Farese Sr., were retained on Wednesday.

"We are in the process of investigating the events surrounding the allegations against our client," Farese said when asked for comment about the harassment claims against Theesfeld. "It is far too early to make further comments on this matter."

Theesfeld's father, Daniel Theesfeld, said in a statement to WMC-TV that his son “is innocent.”
“I have reasons to believe that. I can’t share anything now,” he added.