Sheldon 'Timothy' Herrington Jr. was sentenced to 40 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of 20-year-old Jimmie 'Jay' Lee, a well-known member of the University of Mississippi's LGBTQ+ community. Lee disappeared in July 2022 and his remains were found in February 2025; the coroner could not determine a cause of death due to decomposition. Prosecutors said messages and device searches indicated a sexual encounter and an alleged motive to hide a romantic relationship. Herrington's first trial ended in a mistrial in December 2024 before he entered guilty pleas and was sentenced in December 2025.
Man Sentenced To 40 Years After Killing Openly Gay Ole Miss Student; Prosecutors Say He Sought To Hide Relationship
Jimmie "Jay" Lee; Sheldon "Timothy Herrington Jr.Jay Lee/Facebook;Antonella Rescigno/The Daily Mississippian via AP, Pool
Sheldon 'Timothy' Herrington Jr., 25, was sentenced on Dec. 2, 2025, to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of 20-year-old Jimmie 'Jay' Lee, a prominent member of the University of Mississippi's LGBTQ+ community.
Investigation and Evidence
Lee went missing on July 8, 2022. Authorities soon charged Herrington with capital murder. Prosecutors said investigators uncovered sexually explicit messages exchanged between the two men and noted that searches on Herrington's device included queries such as 'how long it takes to strangle someone.' They also said Lee's final text appeared to have been sent from the vicinity of Herrington's apartment in Oxford, Miss., and that Lee's car was later found abandoned in a parking lot where security footage showed him leaving that morning. A judge later declared Lee legally dead in absentia.
Jimmie "Jay" Lee Ole Miss Police
Trials, Discovery and Plea
Herrington denied the allegations and was tried on a capital murder charge in 2024. That trial ended in a mistrial in December 2024 after jurors could not reach a verdict. A significant development came in February 2025, when Lee's decomposed remains were discovered in Carroll County, roughly a 90-minute drive from his home. The county coroner said the condition of the remains prevented a definitive determination of cause of death.
After Lee's remains were found, Herrington was indicted again and faced a scheduled retrial on capital murder and tampering charges. He maintained his innocence until entering guilty pleas to second-degree murder and evidence tampering in 2025. Herrington's attorney, Aafram Sellers, said his client never offered an explanation for Lee's death.
Sheldon "Timothy" Herrington Jr.Bruce Newman/The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal via AP
Sentence and Reactions
At sentencing, Lee's father, Jimmie Lee Sr., addressed Herrington directly and described the family's pain. 'I knew from the beginning that you did this, and I believe your family knew,' Lee Sr. said. 'I had to witness my son’s skeletal remains. I touched his skull; no father should have to go through that. No family should have to go through that.'
Gwen Agho, a special prosecutor in the case, called the killing a tragedy and said the deadly actions were allegedly taken to cover something up — a truth that ultimately came to light.
The case drew attention for its connection to campus life and the LGBTQ+ community at Ole Miss, and for the prosecution's contention that the murder was motivated by a desire to conceal a romantic relationship. Herrington's guilty plea to reduced charges resulted in the 40-year sentence reached in December 2025.
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