Man admits to killing Ole Miss graduate 10 months after her body was discovered

A man admitted guilt on Monday to charges including second-degree murder in connection with the death of a University of Mississippi graduate who was active in the LGBTQ community. Sheldon "Timothy" Herrington Jr. entered the plea ahead of his second trial regarding the disappearance and death of Jimmy "Jay" Lee, who went missing in Oxford, Mississippi, in July 2022 and was later discovered deceased.

Herrington was apprehended two weeks after Lees disappearance and faced a capital murder charge. He had initially pleaded not guilty, according to CBS affiliate WREG. Court statements indicated that prosecutors did not plan to pursue the death penalty in this case.

Last year, the first trial ended in a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a decision following over nine and a half hours of deliberation. They had been instructed to consider verdicts ranging from capital murder to manslaughter by culpable negligence or not guilty. At that time, Lees body had not been recovered, though he had been legally declared dead. In February of this year, hunters found Lees skeletal remains in a wooded area, according to Mississippi Today.

During the initial trial, prosecutors claimed that Herrington, who was not openly gay, killed Lee following a sexual encounter. Security footage showed Lee leaving his apartment around 4 a.m. on the day he vanished, returning briefly, and departing again shortly before 6 a.m. Authorities stated that Lee had been at Herringtons apartment and left upset. Herrington reportedly invited him back and had searched online how long it takes to strangle someone before Lee arrived. The final text from Lees phone was sent to a social media account linked to Herrington at 6:03 a.m. near Herringtons residence. Prior messages between Herrington and Lee contained sexually explicit content.

Surveillance footage later showed Herrington jogging from a parking lot where Lees car had been located. He was also recorded collecting a shovel and wheelbarrow from his parents home. Herrington is from Grenada, Mississippi, about 52 miles southwest of Oxford, while Lees remains were discovered in Carroll County. Both men had graduated from the University of Mississippi.

Lee had been pursuing a masters degree and was recognized for his creativity in fashion and makeup, frequently performing in drag shows in Oxford, according to the support group Justice for Jay Lee. Herrington is scheduled for sentencing on Tuesday. His attorneys were not immediately available for comment.

Author: Sophia Brooks