Ally Kostial was brutally shot just hours after speaking to her mother on the phone. The gruesome murder came as a shock to Ally’s loved ones and her classmates at the University of Mississippi, as investigators did their best to get to the bottom of the matter. “48 Hours: What Ally Kostial Didn’t Know” paints a vivid picture of the murder and shows how an Apple Watch gave officers the most significant breakthrough in the case. Let’s dive into the details of the crime and find out the current whereabouts of Ally’s killer, shall we?
How did Ally Kostial die?
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Ally Kostial had just completed her freshman year at the University of Mississippi. She resided in an apartment on the Oxford, Mississippi campus and was quite a popular face among her classmates. Friends and family had nothing but praise for Ally and described her as a lively person who greeted everyone with a smile. Also, days before her murder, Ally had been visited by her parents from St. Louis and was looking forward to starting a new year at college.
On the evening of July 19, 2019, Ally’s mother spoke to her on the phone around 7 p.m. During the call, Ally mentioned that she was going out and having fun with some friends. However, in a shocking turn of events, the 21-year-old student was found dead at Sardis Lake, around 45 minutes from her on-campus residence. When authorities arrived at the scene, they realized the victim had been shot in what appeared to be a revenge crime. There were several gunshot wounds on Ally’s body, and an autopsy later determined these were the cause of death.
Who killed Ally Kostial?
When authorities began investigating Ally’s murder, they gained access to her apartment on campus and found her Apple Watch. Through the device, they discovered that after talking to her mother, Ally had sent a few text messages to Brandon Theesfeld, a classmate. Since Brandon was the last person to speak to the victim, he became a person of interest. Soon the police discovered that he and Ally were in an on-again-off-again relationship. They met in first grade and dated for a while before going their separate ways. However, they reconnected during their freshman year and were together at the time of the murder.
According to the show, Ally’s friends told police how difficult her relationship with Brandon was and claimed they were often involved in altercations. When police investigated the case further, they learned that a few months before the murder, Ally had shared shocking news with Brandon. According to investigator Jarrett Bundren, Ally revealed to Brandon that “she thought she was pregnant.” Brandon didn’t want her to keep the baby and the couple had quite a fight over it.
Although Ally wished to meet in person to discuss the situation, Brandon refused to do so until the day of the murder. Intending to find Brandon, the police asked him to come to the station for a few questions. However, the suspect seemed quite reluctant and kept giving excuses as to why he couldn’t get in. Alarmed, police began tracking his cell phone and realized that Brandon was heading to his home in Fort Worth, Texas.
Immediately after spotting Brandon, authorities alerted all nearby police stations and the suspect was arrested when he stopped for gas at a Memphis gas station. When Brandon was arrested, authorities found blood on him. Additionally, a gun was also found in his truck, which matched the caliber of the weapon that was used to kill Ally. Although Brandon insisted on his innocence and claimed that he was not involved in the murder, the police ultimately charged him with murder.
Where is Brandon Theesfeld now?
Although Brandon Theesfeld was initially charged with capital murder, he agreed to plead guilty to first degree murder in exchange for the prosecution dropping the death penalty. As a result, he was sentenced to life in prison in 2021 and is currently incarcerated at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in unincorporated Sunflower County, Mississippi.
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