In a 24-hour period, five women were killed in Mississippi. One was shot at a birthday party. Another killed during a robbery. At least one of the five knew her killer. Arrests have been made in four of the five deaths. Across the state, the investigations continue.

Alexandria "Ally" Kostial

The body of Alexandria 'Ally' Kostial, 21, of St. Louis, Missouri, was found at 10:23 a.m. Saturday in Harmontown by deputies on routine patrol, according to a press release issued by the sheriff's department. Harmontown is in the northern part of Lafayette County, approximately 30 miles from Oxford.

Kostial was attending summer classes at Ole Miss and working toward a bachelor's degree in marketing, the university previously stated. She was also a founding member of her sorority, Alpha Phi, and the president of the Ole Miss Golf Club.

Brandon Theesfeld, 22, of Texas, was arrested and charged with murder in Kostial's death. The motive has not been publicly released and the investigation is ongoing.

Anna Pasco, a close friend to Kostial an Ole Miss student, made a post on her Facebook page Sunday, saying her friend was the "most genuine and uplifting person" she ever knew.

"You will be so so missed by everyone’s lives that were honored enough to know you," Pasco said.

"Thank you for being such an unbelievable friend and always lifting me up and sparking my spirits every time I was around you. There will never be another like you and I pray that justice is served."

Lisa Nguyen

Lisa Nguyen was well-known in her community. She and her family owned and operated Steelman Grocery in Hattiesburg, a neighborhood store frequented by locals.

Nguyen, 59, was shot and killed during an attempted robbery of the store around 6 p.m. Saturday. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital, said Ryan Moore, public information officer for the Hattiesburg Police Department.

Store customers and people who knew the family spoke with the Hattiesburg American Monday.

"All of them, everybody, ever since they've been running that store, they've been good people," said Robert Jones, who has been shopping at the grocery store for decades. "They're really nice people. They help you out in any way they can."

"They were good people," Bridgette Ferguson said. "They cared about everybody. During (Hurricane) Katrina they helped people out. Even when it was not Katrina, they helped people."

The incident is still under investigation, Moore said. No one has been arrested in Nguyen's death.

Arykah White

Arykah Patrice White was attending a sweet sixteen birthday party at Propst Park in Columbus around 11:30 Saturday night when she was fatally shot, said Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant. White was 16 years old.

Columbus police spokesperson Joe Dillon said a party was being held at the park's community center when an altercation broke out in the parking lot. Dillon did not know if the people who were involved in the altercation were attending the party but said White was not involved in the fight. She was an "innocent bystander," he said.

Curtis Lathan, 17, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder in White's death. The teen is being charged as an adult. He was denied bond and is currently in the Lowndes County Detention Center.

Zaria Newton

Zaria Newton, who would have celebrated her 21st birthday Aug. 25, was shot and killed in Brookhaven Saturday night as she and her boyfriend returned home following an alert from a home surveillance system that someone had broken into her house. Her boyfriend was not injured in the incident.

Three individuals are now in custody and charged with capital murder by Brookhaven police in Newton's death. Another suspect was shot and killed late Monday by Copiah County deputies in a shootout.

Newton and her family moved to Brookhaven from Hinesville, GA, her sister told the Clarion Ledger. She was a stellar student at Brookhaven High School where she graduated in 2016.

Newton was pursuing a career in cosmetology specializing in eyelash extensions and nails.

"She was so giving and caring and lighted a whole room with her smile. She was an amazing baby sister and auntie to her nieces," her sister Zshakira Newton said. "Zaria was on the path of doing amazing things in her life. She wasn’t ready to go so soon."

Shayna Cline

Officers responded to a disturbance in Hattiesburg Sunday morning around 3:40 a.m. By the time they arrived, Shayna Catherine Cline, 19, was dead.

Cline's body was lying in a vacant lot, Moore said, dead of an apparent gunshot wound. Her boyfriend, 31-year-old Billy Lester, was immediately arrested across the street.

Forrest County Coroner Butch Benedict confirmed Cline had been shot. She was dead when officers arrived, he said. Her body was sent to the state crime lab in Pearl for an autopsy.

Lester has been charged with murder and is currently in the Forrest County Jail.

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Contact Sarah Fowler at 601-961-7303 or sfowler@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.