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Suspect indicted for Capital Murder in death of Ole Miss student

Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr. was indicted for the murder of University of Mississippi student Jimmie "Jay" Lee in July 2022.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Oxford, Mississippi, Police said a Lafayette County Grand Jury has indicted a Grenada man for the murder of Ole Miss student Jimmie "Jay" Lee.

Police said the case against Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr., 22, was presented to the Grand Jury March 27, 2023. They said after a day and a half of testimony, the grand jury returned an indictment against Herrington on a charge of Capital Murder.

Oxford Police said they have not stopped trying to locate Lee and ask anyone with information to call the Oxford Police Department at 662-232-2400 or CrimeStoppers at 662-234-8477.

“Our thoughts and prayers are constantly with the Lee family, and we thank them for their constant support,” said OPD in a news release.

OPD said Herrington was served the indictment Wednesday morning by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department. Back in December 2022, Herrington was released on a $250,000 bond, according to Lafayette County court records.

Credit: WATN
Jimmy 'Jay' Lee

The Oxford Police Department and the University of Mississippi Police Department arrested Herrington on July 22.

Oxford police said Lee was last seen leaving Campus Walk Apartments at 5:58 a.m. on July 8 wearing a silver robe or housecoat, gold cap, and gray slippers.

Herrington was developed as a suspect and arrested after police obtained a search warrant for his apartment related to the murder case. Investigators searched Herrington's apartment, where cadaver dogs alerted officers to the presence of a body. However, no body was found, and to this date Lee's body is still missing.

In October 2022, Herrington filed a wrongful imprisonment lawsuit against Lafayette County, claiming there was not enough evidence to be held in prison without bail under the original conditions of his arrest. As a condition to his bail, Herrington is also required to wear an ankle monitor and surrender his passport.

According to the lawsuit filed by Herrington, on cross-examination in court, a detective with Oxford Police said there was no confession or admission of guilt from Herrington when he was arrested, and no physical evidence connecting him to Lee's disappearance and death.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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