In the hours leading up to Jimmy “Jay” Lee’s mysterious disappearance, investigative testimony revealed that sexually suggestive messages were exchanged on Snapchat between his account and that of Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., the man currently facing trial for his death. Herrington, 24, hailing from Grenada, Mississippi, is charged with capital murder in connection to Lee’s disappearance on July 8, 2022.
Lee, a 20-year-old openly gay individual, was a familiar face within the LGBTQ+ community at the University of Mississippi, located in Oxford, Mississippi, where the trial is taking place. Although Lee’s remains have not been located, a court has declared him deceased, and Herrington continues to assert his innocence.
During the trial’s opening arguments, assistant district attorney Gwen Agho claimed that although Herrington was not openly part of the LGBTQ+ community, evidence would demonstrate that he had a relationship with Lee and is accountable for his death. In contrast, Herrington’s attorney, Kevin Horan, contended to jurors that the prosecution lacks concrete evidence of Lee’s murder.
Sgt. Benjamin Douglas from the University Police Department testified that search warrants allowed investigators to access cellphone records, social media information from the accounts of both Lee and Herrington, as well as Herrington’s internet searches leading up to his arrest two weeks later. One of Lee’s friends, Khalid Fears, recounted a video call with Lee just before 6 a.m. on the morning of his disappearance, where Lee mentioned a concerning encounter with a man earlier that night and was planning to meet him again.
Douglas detailed a message sent at approximately 5:25 a.m. from Herrington’s Snapchat account to Lee’s, which read: “Come back.” The two accounts then exchanged messages that escalated into an argument. Lee’s last communication, sent at 6:03 a.m., was simply the word “Open.” Alongside this, Douglas noted that Herrington performed an internet search at 5:56 a.m. asking, “how long does it take to strangle someone.”
Further testimony revealed that at 7:18 a.m. on July 8, a vehicle resembling Lee’s black sedan was spotted on various security cameras in Oxford. Lt. Mark Hodges confirmed that the car entered a parking lot at the Molly Barr Trails apartment complex around 7:25 a.m. Shortly thereafter, the camera recorded a man—identified as Herrington—jogging out of the parking area and onto Molly Barr Road.
Witness Kizziah Carter testified that he encountered Herrington while driving home from work around 7:30 a.m. that day. He recognized Herrington, offered him a ride, and dropped him off at his apartment complex. Later that same day, the police towed Lee’s vehicle from the Molly Barr Trails.
Both Herrington and Lee were alumni of the University of Mississippi, where Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was celebrated for his artistic flair in fashion and makeup, often taking part in drag shows in Oxford, as reported by the advocacy group Justice for Jay Lee.
Prosecutors have decided against seeking the death penalty; thus, if convicted, Herrington could face a life sentence. Under Mississippi law, capital murder involves committing a murder during the commission of another felony—such as kidnapping in this case.