Man Killed Openly Gay College Student, Allegedly to Hide Their Relationship. Now He Learns Fate By Nicole Acosta

A man will spend decades in prison for killing an openly gay University of Mississippi student, in what prosecutors claimed was an attempt to hide a romantic relationship between the two.

Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., 25, was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Dec. 2, 2025 after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of 20-year-old Jimmie “Jay” Lee, according to the Associated Press, CBS News, and The Clarion-Ledger.

Lee, a prominent member of Ole Miss’ LGBTQ+ community, went missing on July 8, 2022. Shortly afterward, Herrington was charged with capital murder. Prosecutors claimed investigators found sexually explicit messages exchanged between the two, and a search on Herrington’s device that asked “how long it takes to strangle someone,” the AP reported. At the time, prosecutors alleged that Herrington killed Lee after a sexual encounter.

They added that Lee’s final text message appeared to have been sent to Herrington from near Herrington’s apartment in Oxford, Miss. Lee’s car was later found abandoned in a parking lot, where security cameras captured him leaving that morning, police said, per the AP. A judge later ruled Lee dead in absentia.

Herrington, who denied the claims, was tried on the capital murder charge, but a mistrial was declared in December 2024 after jurors were unable to reach a verdict. Herrington’s attorney had argued that his client could not be convicted without a body present, the Clarion-Ledger reported.

A break in the case came in February 2025 when Lee’s decomposed remains were found in Carroll County — about 90 minutes away from Lee’s home, the Clarion-Ledger reported. The county coroner said he was unable to determine how Lee died due to the condition of his remains, WREG reported.

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Herrington was indicted again and scheduled to face a retrial for capital murder and tampering with evidence. He maintained his innocence prior to pleading guilty last year. Herrington’s attorney, Aafram Sellers, said his client did not share why he killed Lee, per the Clarion-Ledger.

Ultimately, prosecutors believed Herrington killed Lee to keep their romantic relationship private. The attorney added that he does not think it was in Lee’s “character” to have outed Herrington, per the outlet.

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At the sentencing, Lee’s father faced his son’s killer and shared how difficult the loss has been for his family.

“I knew from the beginning that you did this, and I believe your family knew,” Jimmie Lee Sr. said, per WLBT. “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.”

The father 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.”

Gwen Agho, a special prosecutor in the case, called the murder a tragedy, the AP reported.

“All of this happened to cover something up,” Agho said. “And everyone found out anyways.”