HARMONTOWN, Miss. — Authorities say a woman was found dead in Lafayette County, Mississippi.
According to a release from the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department, deputies found the woman’s body around 10:30 a.m. Saturday while on patrol in Harmontown.
The sheriff’s department says it was “apparent that foul play was involved.”
The sheriff’s department identified the woman as 21-year-old Alexandria “Ally” Kostial from St. Louis, Missouri.
Kostial was a student at the University of Mississippi. According to the university, Kostial was working towards a bachelor’s degree in marketing in the School of Business Administration.
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Ole Miss interim Chancellor Larry Sparks said, “We are truly saddened by the death of Alexandria Kostial. 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 Sherriff’s Department and Coroner as they conduct their investigation.”
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations and the Mississippi Crime Lab Crime Scene Unit are working alongside the sheriff’s department on this investigation. The Ole Miss Police Department and the Oxford Police Department are also assisting with the case.
The sheriff’s department says it is not releasing many details at this time because it is an active investigation. The department will release more information “at the appropriate time.”
If you have any information regarding this case, please call the sheriff’s department at 662-234-6421 or Crime Stoppers at 662-234-8477.