U.S. Confirms Death of American Hostage Kayla Mueller

Kayla Jean Mueller, the last American hostage known to be held by Islamic State extremists, was confirmed dead by her relatives and the White House on Tuesday.

Ms. Mueller’s parents said they received confirmation of her death, but they didn’t provide further details of the circumstances. The Islamic State extremist group said she was killed in a Jordanian airstrike in Syria, but U.S. and Jordanian officials have been skeptical of the claim. Last Friday, her family said they believed she could still be alive and had asked her captors to respond to a private communication they