MS - Alexandria "Ally" Kostial, 21, Ole Miss student, found dead, Harmontown, 20 July 2019 *ARREST*

[justiceforwomen27]

There’s a ton of small town murder trials and cases aren’t sealed. I just Hope this is to Protect the victim here and not the perp.

Good point. I hope so too.

 

[Seattle1]

When you think about it, most of the details that have been made public came from the City of Oxford (Friday night video), from Memphis (arrest pics and details), and from reporters following up on leaks (Lakeside Market), but very little has been shared by Lafayette County, which is in charge of the case.

I believe the public was lucky. I think investigators have been busy working on obtaining and serving warrants for all data and now we won't even see the warrants. MOO

 

[Seattle1]

Wagons circled, imo.

Both sides playing the game.

Notice BT's attorney's statement to media this morning that DA filed motion to deny his client bond prior to BT's initial appearance!

MOO

 

[Quill]

Wagons circled, imo.

There’s a ton of small town murder trials and cases aren’t sealed. I just Hope this is to Protect the victim here and not the perp.

I can't think of any reason that LE or the justice system would want to do anything to compromise this case. Any protection of the perp would be solely due to preserving his civil rights and not due to any favor. He isn't even local. He has brought down scrutiny and negative PR on the town and the university which has had a constant barrage of negativity to deal with and more came out yesterday. So, no, I don't think its due to anything other than trying maintain justice and proper procedure. JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

I can't think of any reason that LE or the justice system would want to do anything to compromise this case. Any protection of the perp would be solely due to preserving his civil rights and not due to any favor. He isn't even local. He has brought down scrutiny and negative PR on the town and the university which has had a constant barrage of negativity to deal with and more came out yesterday. So, no, I don't think its due to anything other than trying maintain justice and proper procedure. JMO

And perhaps the anger about the negative view the murder has brought to the university is part of sealing the case. Seal it in an effort to squash the chatter and scrutiny.

Could be.

jmo

 

[Destini]

Is this normal legal procedure to seal records this early in a murder investigation? Just curious to me, but it may be normal.

 

[Seattle1]

Is this normal legal procedure to seal records this early in a murder investigation? Just curious to me, but it may be normal.

After indictment, yes -- but the grand jury hasn't even convened yet. MOO

 

[JaneTennessee]

It seems like the arguments used in favor of sealing the case could be used as an argument to seal any case ever.

 

[Destini]

After indictment, yes -- but the grand jury hasn't even convened yet. MOO

Just makes you wonder who or what they are "protecting" by doing this. All this secrecy would not be comforting to me if I had a child going to school there.

 

[Inthedetails]

Just makes you wonder who or what they are "protecting" by doing this. All this secrecy would not be comforting to me if I had a child going to school there.

Protecting status quo. Just my opinion. Won't be popular.

jmo

 

[Whiteorchids]

Right. But why? Doesn’t This go against public’s rights? He’s not a minor, he’s not high profile, and there’s no threat to public so why the seal here?

By sealing it more rumors will just continue to grow if there rumors they may not be but still confirmation would be nice. We would like to hear at least the autopsy report to know if he murdered 2. I wonder if this a motion BT’s attorney wanted

 

[Destini]

By sealing it more rumors will just continue to grow if there rumors they may not be but still confirmation would be nice. We would like to hear at least the autopsy report to know if he murdered 2. I wonder if this a motion BT’s attorney wanted

Yes, rumors will continue to grow and perhaps turn into a frenzy with no communication to the public.

They need to hold a press conference! If for no other reason just to assure the public there is no accomplice running around.

 

[Quill]

Protecting status quo. Just my opinion. Won't be popular.

jmo

Status quo?

 

[Quill]

Yes, rumors will continue to grow and perhaps turn into a frenzy with no communication to the public.

They need to hold a press conference! If for no other reason just to assure the public there is no accomplice running around.

Are rumors of an accomplice going around? Just getting caught up here.

 

[Destini]

Are rumors of an accomplice going around? Just getting caught up here.

Not that I know of

 

[Gardener1850]

Right. But why? Doesn’t This go against public’s rights? He’s not a minor, he’s not high profile, and there’s no threat to public so why the seal here?

They might still be investigating/interviewing people who knew Ally and Brandon and may not want to release info that could potentially alter witnesses statements. Here's an example-- in the Chris Watts case there was an attempt to have the autopsy results sealed. Rumors flew wild about the reason for it. The reason turned out to be that testing showed very pregnant Shannan's body had a high blood-alcohol content-- which can either be from the victim drinking OR it can be a natural result of a body decomposing in hot conditions. The reason investigators in that case wanted the results sealed was they needed to re-contact and interview friends from out of state that Shannan had traveled with to find out if she had been drinking at all that night. They did not want the witnesses to hear on the news about the high BAC because that could potentially change their answers or influence their memories of the night. Fortunately the motions to seal gave enough time for LE to get all friends interviewed-- ALL her friends said she had not had any alcohol at dinner nor on the plane and that she never would have been drinking while pregnant. I suspect there may be a similar reason for wanting records sealed in this case. It can take quite a while for LE to contact everyone who may have had contact with the victim and the suspect and get their statements. And then sometimes LE finds out new info and has to re-interview witnesses. They don't want to taint the witnesses in any way and jeopardize the case by letting the press release the info first. MOO.

 

[Seattle1]

Timeline: Details surrounding death of Ole Miss student Ally Kostial
(go to link for timeline)...

Oxford police said Theesfeld has a background with the department, but nothing involving violence. There have been two past recorded interactions with him. He was arrested in 2017 for public drunkenness. Another time he called the police to request a welfare check on someone else. No arrests or calls for help from Ally Kostial were received, police said.

Theesfeld attorney Tony Farese said Friday information about the case is being disseminated in the public, but they don't try a case in the media."Mr. Theesfeld maintains his innocence," he said.

“You can’t try a case in the public,” Farese said. “We follow the rules.”

He said attorneys have met with Theesfeld and are preparing their defense. “We have contacted witnesses, law enforcement and the district attorney’s office.”

Theesfeld has not had a preliminary hearing for authorities to outline their case — that will be up to his defense to request or waive one. District Attorney Ben Creekmore said he expects to take the case before a grand jury by the end of August. bbm

 

[Momof4RN]

Is this normal legal procedure to seal records this early in a murder investigation? Just curious to me, but it may be normal.

If it was normal than all murder trial case files would be sealed and they are not. Several of the ones I am following here on WS which are also in the media are not sealed. i.e. Savannah Spurlock murder.
I don’t think we’ll get a press conference but I do wish they would at least release who filed the motion to seal and the reason the seal was granted which often does happen like in the Senator Colllins murder case the DA filed the motion and it was as granted because she is high profile. JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

There are a lot of rumors going around. But rumors aside, IF and this is a big IF BT is innocent (we presume he is till found guilty) as he and his dad both insist. Then some killer is still on the loose cuz someone sure the heck shot her multiple times. MOO

It's the strangest case. Lots of rumors (some already proven false) and at the same time a sense of secrecy. I suppose rumors are what happens when things are kept secret.

I have never seen anything quite like it.

jmo

 

[Seattle1]

Friday, July 19

• Kostial's "Introduction to Retail" summer school course had a test on Friday. She finished the exam before 1:15 p.m., the instructor said.
• Surveillance video showed Kostial in the Oxford Square the night (Friday, July 19) before authorities found her body about 30 miles from Oxford. Kostial was seen wearing a blue dress [shorts] and white jacket [blouse] and giving someone a hug around 11:52 p.m.
• According to the Oxford Eagle, Kostial exited Funkys Pizza & Daiquiri Bar. Once she left, Kostial stopped at the corner for several minutes before heading to Rooster’s Blue House, a popular place on the Oxford Square at Ole Miss.
• Kostial appeared to be waiting outside Roosters until an Uber minivan pulled up. She got in the van but it did not immediately take off. After roughly 30 seconds, the van pulled off, heading west on Jackson Avenue.

Saturday, July 20

• L R, Kostial’s roommate, said she arrived home around midnight to her apartment at the Retreat at Oxford, the Oxford Eagle reported. A roommate also said she was not sure when Kostial left the room again.
• Some media outlets reported other surveillance footage from early Saturday morning shows her at a convenience store near Harmontown. She was reportedly shown with a man who appears to be Theesfeld.
• Kostial's body was found at 10:23 a.m. Saturday by a Lafayette County Sheriff's Department deputy patrolling Buford’s Ridge in Harmontown, located in the northern portion of Lafayette County and 30 minutes away from Oxford.

Sunday, July 21

• Lafayette County Sheriff's Department confirmed in a statement the death and the identity of Kostial at 1:43 Sunday afternoon.
• The last Twitter activity from Brandon Theesfeld was Sunday, the day after Kostial's body was discovered. All of the tweets were retweets.
• A P, a student and close friend of Kostial, made a post on her Facebook page, saying her friend was the "most genuine and uplifting person" she ever knew

Monday, July 22

• Deputies from the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department and Memphis Police Department arrest Theesfeld around 9:30 a.m. Monday.
• Theesfeld’s cellphone and credit card led police to a gas station in South Memphis, where he was arrested. Surveillance photos from the gas station showed Theesfeld wearing an Ole Miss T-shirt as he entered the gas station on Monday, FOX 13 in Memphis reported.
• Theesfeld was booked into the Lafayette County Detention Center at 3:45 p.m.
• Lafayette County Coroner Rocky Kennedy said Monday that Kostial's body was sent to the state crime lab in Pearl for an autopsy. He declined to provide further details.

Tuesday, July 23

• Around 8:00 Tuesday morning, Theesfeld's name, "hold" was written under the charge line in the jail docket. The word, however, was crossed out and written above it in bold letters was the word "murder," according to the Oxford Eagle.
• The LCSD and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations confirmed a statement at 11:08 Tuesday morning that Theesfeld was charged with the murder of Kostial.
• Theesfeld and his attorney Swayze Alford went before a circuit court judge Andrew Howorth for an initial appearance.
• Theesfeld was suspended from the university after his arrest.
• A friend of Kostial tweeted that her relationship with Theesfeld was a troubled one

Wednesday, July 24

• On social media, friends created a hashtag, #JusticeforAlly, while describing Kostial and the impact she had on the people and community around her.
• LCSD said no bond hearing was scheduled for Theesfeld.
• As of Wednesday afternoon, Theesfeld’s Twitter account was deactivated.
• Daniel Theesfeld, the father of Brandon, hired attorneys Steve and Tony Farese. Attorneys said Theesfeld plans to enter a not guilty plea.

Thursday, July 25

• A preliminary autopsy determined Kostial died from multiple gunshot wounds and ruled her death a homicide, according to the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department.
• Friends and family gathered in St. Louis at 8 p.m. for a vigil for Kostial. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that nearly 100 people gathered Thursday outside Lindbergh High School where they passed around a microphone to share memories of Kostial. Friend Casey Hendrickson described Kostial as "always smiling, laughing and happy."
• Services for Kostial were planned for Friday at Concordia Kirkwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis. A public funeral service follows on Saturday at 10 a.m.
• Rex Ravita, Ole Miss student, said Theesfeld had 'no respect for women, according to FOX News.
• Surveillance video was released showing Kostial in the Square in Oxford on the night before her body was found.

Timeline: Details surrounding death of Ole Miss student Ally Kostial

https://www.oxfordeagle.com/2019/07/25/timeline-events-surrounding-the-death-of-ally-kostial/

What happened to Ally Kostial? Timeline of events begins to emerge

ETA: Discrepancy with clothes AK last seen wearing; edit names to initials by me for privacy.