OXFORD, Miss — The Oxford Police Department released a statement Thursday morning after a judge declared a mistrial Wednesday in the trial held for Sheldon "Timothy" Herrington Jr., the person accused of murdering Ole Miss student Jimmy "Jay" Lee in 2022.
The department expressed their sympathies toward Lee's family and declared police would not stop looking for him.
In an order dated Oct. 15, 2024, a Lafayette County Circuit Court Judge officially declared the missing Ole Miss student as dead as the case continued against his accused killer.
Following nine and a half hours of deliberation, jurors had not been able to agree on a verdict in the trial Wednesday.
OPD's full statement can be read below:
The Oxford Police Department's hearts are heavy for the Lee family as the jury was unable to reach a decision in this case. Our commitment to finding Jay Lee remains steadfast and our department will not waver in the pursuit of justice for him.
Chief Jeff McCutchen stated, “Our commitment, remains unshaken and our job is far from over. We have not stopped looking for Jay Lee since July 8, 2022, and we will not stop until we bring him home to his family. If you have any information that can help us locate Jay, please contact us.”
The Oxford Police Department appreciates and thanks the prosecuting team and every law enforcement agency that poured their hearts into this case.
We urge anyone with information regarding Jimmie “Jay” Lee’s location to call the Oxford Police Department at 662-232-2400 or CrimeStoppers at 662-234-8799.
