Sheldon Timothy Herrington, Jr., accused of killing University of Mississippi student Jimmie “Jay” Lee, will face a retrial in Lafayette County beginning Dec. 1, 2025. This comes after his first trial in December 2024 ended in a mistrial with a Forrest County jury.
Jury Selection and Venue Change
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Madison County jurors will be used for the retrial.
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Once selected, jurors will be transported to Lafayette County and remain there for the trial’s duration.
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Herrington requested a change of venue in May, citing extensive media coverage and social media scrutiny, which the court granted to ensure a fair trial.
Case Background
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Jay Lee, a 20-year-old University of Mississippi student and member of the Oxford LGBTQ+ community, disappeared on July 8, 2022.
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Herrington was arrested weeks later, accused of killing Lee to allegedly conceal a romantic relationship between them.
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December 2024 trial: Without Lee’s body at the time, the trial ended in a mistrial with an 11-1 jury vote.
Discovery of Remains and New Charges
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February 2025: Human remains found in Carroll County were confirmed as Lee’s.
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A new two-count indictment charged Herrington with capital murder and evidence tampering.
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Herrington pled not guilty; his bond was revoked on Feb. 27.
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March 7: Lafayette County Circuit Judge Kelly Luther dismissed the tampering charge, ruling it time-barred, leaving only the capital murder charge.
Herrington remains in custody at the Lafayette County Jail without bond pending the retrial.
This retrial is closely watched given the high-profile nature of the case and the previous mistrial.
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