×

Tampering charge dropped for man accused of killing Jimmie ‘Jay’ Lee

By Kaitlin Howell Mar 7, 2025 | 12:59 PM

OXFORD, Miss. (WJTV) – The tampering with evidence charge has been dismissed for the man accused of killing Jimmie “Jay” Lee.

Lafayette County Circuit Court Judge Kelly Luther ruled on Friday, March 7 that the prosecution of the charge was commenced outside of the two-year statute of limitations and is “therefore time-barred.”

Charge dismissed against Timothy HerringtonDownload

Sheldon Timothy Herrington appeared in court in Oxford on Thursday, February 27 and was denied bond. He has been charged with capital murder in the case and has pled not guilty.

The state said in court that they will not be seeking the death penalty.

Herrington’s retrial has been scheduled for October 13, 2025.

Herrington was accused of killing Lee, a University of Mississippi student, to hide an alleged romantic relationship in 2022. He went to trial in December, but a jury was unable to reach a verdict and a mistrial was declared.

Jimmie “Jay” Lee and his accused killer Timothy Herrington (Mugshot from Oxford Police Department)

Herrington will remain in custody at the Lafayette County Jail.

Lee’s remains weren’t found for nearly three years, until February 2025. The Mississippi Crime Lab confirmed through DNA analysis that the remains belonged to Lee.