When a 20-year-old student named Jimmie “Jay” Lee could not be contacted, his family reported him missing. Unfortunately, their worst nightmare came true when his remains were discovered more than two years later. Meanwhile, the authorities had investigated the disappearance and apprehended the perpetrator responsible for the murder. In the episode titled ‘Bringing Jay Home’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline,’ all the intricate details of the case and the investigation that ensued are explored with the help of insightful interviews with Jay’s loved ones and the official linked to the case.
Jimmie “Jay” Lee’s Remains Were Found Nearly Three Years After His Disappearance
Jimmie Dale “Jay” Lee III was born in 2002 in Louisiana to Stephanie Lee and Jimmie Lee Sr. Growing up in a loving and supportive household, Jay was able to embrace his sexuality. While attending the University of Mississippi, he became a popular and well-liked member of the Oxford LGBTQ+ community. As a matter of fact, he showcased his unique and creative taste in fashion and makeup by performing as drag queen Jay Divaa in various drag shows at Code Pink. The 20-year-old Jackson native had the ability to light up even the dullest rooms just by his mere presence.
Thus, when he suddenly went missing, all his loved ones noticed. It was his mother’s birthday on July 8, 2022, when Jay disappeared. When his loved ones couldn’t reach him or find him, his mother reported him missing to the authorities. When he couldn’t be found for more than two years, he was declared legally dead in October 2024. Nearly three years later, on February 1, 2025, a group of deer hunters came across human remains off a dirt road in a wooded area in rural Carroll County, Mississippi. The Mississippi crime lab later confirmed that the remains belonged to Jimmie “Jay” Lee. However, due to the decomposition of the remains, the cause of death could not be determined.
Jimmie “Jay” Lee’s Secret Romance Led to His Demise
When Jimmie “Jay” Lee was reported missing to the authorities, the detectives searched for him for several weeks. During the investigation, they also reviewed surveillance footage of the campus where he lived. It showed that Jay left the apartment before 4 am on July 8, 2022. He was seen returning more than half an hour later, only to leave again around 6 am. Upon inspecting the phone records, they learned that he had exchanged sexually explicit messages with another University of Mississippi graduate named Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr. Moreover, Jay’s final text was reportedly sent to Timothy at 6:03 am from an area near Timothy’s apartment.
Thus, the detectives concluded that Jay and Timothy were in a romantic relationship. The former was allegedly at Timothy’s apartment on the day of his disappearance. After Jay left his place, Timothy searched “how long does it take to strangle someone” online and invited him back. The investigators alleged that Timothy killed Jay because he did not want others to know about their romantic relationship. As per their theory, the suspect wrapped the remains in blankets and disposed of them in the wooded area. About two weeks after Jay’s disappearance, Timothy was arrested and charged with Jay’s murder.
Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr. is Currently Incarecerated at a Mississippi Prison Facility
Five months after the arrest of Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., he was released on a $250,000 bond, but on the condition that he surrender his passport and wear an ankle monitor. In March 2023, he was officially indicted with capital murder. More than a year later, in December 2024, Timothy’s capital murder trial got underway. However, it ended in a mistrial as one of the 12 jurors refused to convict him, as Jimmie “Jay” Lee’s remains were yet to be discovered. Initially, Timothy maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. However, on the day of jury selection for his retrial on December 1, 2025, he ended up pleading guilty to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection with Jay’s killing.
The following day, his sentencing hearing took place. Before his sentencing, Jay’s father, Jimmie Lee Sr., addressed the convict directly, stating, “I knew from the beginning that you did this, and I believe your family knew. 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.” Jimmie Lee Sr. added, “Only in my memories will I hear his voice. This is a sad day for our family because we realize our son is not going to be here. Jay trusted you, but his biggest mistake was trusting your humanity. All the things that my wife and I have gone through, his siblings, it’s been heart-wrenching. No parent wants to face the death of their child.”
Ultimately, on December 2, 2025, Timothy was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the second-degree murder conviction, with 10 years suspended. In addition, he received a 10-year imprisonment sentence for the tampering with evidence conviction. Moreover, he was ordered to serve an additional 10 years of post-release supervision, including five years of supervised probation and the remaining five years of unsupervised probation. As of today, Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr. is serving his sentence at Unit 42 of the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi, with the tentative release date scheduled for September 2064.
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