Jimmie Jay Lee’s father addresses son’s killer in emotional court hearing
OXFORD, Miss. (WLBT) – Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr. was sentenced to 40 years in prison Tuesday morning after pleading guilty to killing Jimmie Jay Lee in July 2022.
Herrington’s sentence is broken down as follows:
- 30 years for second-degree murder
- 10 years for tampering with evidence
- 5 years of supervised post-release
- 5 years of unsupervised post-release
Father confronts killer in court
Jimmie Lee Sr., father of the victim, took the stand Tuesday and spoke directly to Herrington.
“I knew from the beginning that you did this, and I believe your family knew,” said Jimmie Lee Sr. “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.”
Family members described Lee as funny, caring and outgoing, with a heart of gold.
Jay Lee was last seen alive on July 8, 2022, the same day as his mother’s birthday. The family spent more than three years fighting for justice.
“Only in my memories will I hear his voice,” the father said. “This is a sad day for our family because we realize our son is not going to be here.”
The father did extend grace to Herrington and expressed that he wants the 25-year-old to humble himself and ask God for deliverance.
“Jay trusted you, but his biggest mistake was trusting your humanity,” he said. “All the things that my wife and I have gone through, his siblings, it’s been heart-wrenching. No parent wants to face the death of their child.”
Investigation details revealed
Investigators said Herrington and Lee were in a romantic relationship and that Herrington kidnapped and killed Lee because he did not want their secret to get out.
“What’s done in the darkness will always come to light,” said Gwen Agho, who served as a specially appointed prosecutor on the case. “Tim, all of this happened to cover something up and everyone found out anyways.”
Chief Jeff McCutchen of the Oxford Police Department said it has been 1,242 days since Jay Lee was murdered.
“Justice was delayed, but justice was not defeated,” McCutchen said. “It’s been three years, four months, and 23 days. It’s been a long journey, but God is good. This case was built with purpose, with passion, and patience, and today that patience paid off.”
Key evidence emerged after mistrial
Herrington’s first trial in December 2024 ended in a mistrial.
Eleven jurors thought Herrington was guilty, while one juror thought he was not guilty because Lee’s body had not been found at the time.
That changed in February when Lee’s remains were discovered by deer hunters in a wooded area in Carroll County. Recovering Lee’s body was a key piece of evidence for prosecutors.
Prosecutors planned to argue that Herrington killed Lee, then wrapped the body in moving blankets and duct tape before disposing of it in the wooded area.
District Attorney Ben Creekmore, whose district is in Lafayette County, said new evidence was ready for the retrial.
“An analyst at Quantico, Virginia, was able to take a roll of duct tape that the investigation revealed that Tim Herrington bought at the Walmart the morning of Jay Lee’s death, and compared to the duct tape that was found wrapped around the remains and it came out to be a perfect match,” Creekmore said.
Prosecutors also said they believe Herrington acted alone when he killed Lee.
“All the surveillance we see, he’s not with anyone,” Agho said. “That combined with him not reaching out to anyone, we don’t think that (Herrington had help) from the evidence we have.”
Defense attorney says client is remorseful
Attorney Aafram Sellers, who represented Herrington, said his client is remorseful and the guilty plea reflects his accountability.
“In his private moments when he’s with himself or when he’s with us, I’ve seen that remorse,” Sellers said. “I would say he’s absolutely remorseful, and part of that is reflected in the fact that he has now pleaded guilty. It takes a level of remorse and responsibility, even committing that act of saying I’ve done this.”
After sentencing, Herrington was handcuffed and escorted out of the courtroom into a sheriff’s deputy vehicle.
“My advice to him has been to pray,” said Aafram Sellers, who represented Herrington. “My advice to him has been to not be idle. He still is going to have a life after this.”
Judge gives comments during sentencing
After being handed his sentence, Judge John Kelly Luther stated that the court is “acutely” aware that the nation’s eyes have been on this case from the beginning.
“The state of Mississippi does not have a good reputation in matters concerning this, quite frankly,” the judge said.
This, the judge continued, was because “Mr. Lee lived a lifestyle that was different” from most people in Mississippi. Because of this, Luther assumed that many in the country thought there would not be justice in Lee’s murder.
“I want the world to know that Mississippi got it right this time,” Judge Luther said.
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