A University of Mississippi graduate was found dead in a shallow ditch in Carroll County, Miss., after being missing for over two years. Timothy Herrington, Jr., pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and evidence tampering, ending his trial. Authorities say he killed Lee to hide their secret relationship. Prosecutors recommend a 40-year sentence with 10 years suspended. Jay Lee’s friend says the guilty plea brings some comfort but is still hurting from the experience.
Details of the case were recently uncovered, showing Herrington had convinced Lee to return to his apartment hours after a sexual encounter on July 8, 2022. The next day, police say Herrington searched for information on how long it takes to strangle someone and then left the parking lot where Lee’s car was found. Herrington later bought duct tape from Walmart and drove to his hometown of Grenada, Mississippi, before leaving the area.
Jay Lee’s body lay undetected in a shallow ditch for over two years before being found. His friend, who has maintained social media accounts since his disappearance, says while the guilty plea brings some comfort, it still hurts to remember what happened. She hopes that this case will bring justice to other queer Mississippians who have faced or will face violence in the state.
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Source: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/herrington-pleads-guilty-to-murder-of-jay-lee-um-student-who-went-missing-in-2022