Two promising young Alabama students are killed in horrific accident while out hunting together

By LAURA PARNABY, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 20:01, 2 July 2026 | Updated: 20:19, 2 July 2026 Two promising young college students have been killed in a horrific fire which swept through an Alabama hunting camp during the early hours of Wednesday morning.  Mark Mostellar, 21, and James Hensley II, 19, perished in the blaze which tore through the rural area where they were staying close to Evergreen, in the south of the state.  Conecuh County Coroner’s Office said they were inside a 'structure' off Stowers Road with two others when the fire broke out at about 1.30am.  'Four individuals were inside the home at the time of the incident,' the office said in a statement.  'Two occupants were able to escape and were transported for medical treatment with injuries.  'Tragically, two occupants succumbed to injuries sustained in the fire and were pronounced deceased at the scene.' The cause and origin of the fire is under investigation by local and state authorities, according to Evergreen Police Department.  Local news outlet AL.com reported that the two survivors of the fire were friends of the students.  Mark 'McNeil' Mostellar, 21, of Mobile, was killed in a horrific fire which swept through a hunting camp close to Evergreen, Alabama during the early hours of Wednesday morning James Hensley II, 19, also perished in the blaze, which unfolded at about 1.30am Wednesday They were treated in the hospital. The extent of their injuries has not been disclosed.  Mostellar and Hensley were both business majors at the University of Alabama, and members of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, according to their LinkedIn profiles.  Before joining the university, they were both standout athletes at their high schools in Mobile, according to local media outlets.  Mostellar, who also went by 'McNeil', is pictured on the UMS-Wright Preparatory School Varsity Football Roster for 2023.  He was big fan of hunting, and his Facebook profile picture shows him with several catches, including a seven-foot swordfish he caught with friends.  Another image shows Mostellar grinning with mud on his cheeks as he brandished half a dozen birds snagged on another hunting trip. Meanwhile, Hensley, who also went by 'Walter', played for St Luke's Episcopal School basketball and football teams.  Mostellar is seen here with half a dozen birds caught on a previous hunt Mostellar was big fan of hunting, and his Facebook profile picture shows him with several catches, including several huge fish he caught with friends. He is pictured left above  Mostellar was a business major at the University of Alabama, according to his LinkedIn St Luke's held a vigil for Hensley in the aftermath of the horror.  'In the wake of great loss, we are reminded just how fragile life truly is,' the school wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday.  'When words fall short, we gather.  'Anyone in our greater community who is seeking a place for prayer, reflection, comfort, or simply the presence of others please join us this evening.' The Daily Mail has reached out to the Conecuh County Coroner’s Office, the Evergreen Police Department, the Alabama LP Gas Board and the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office for more information.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.