Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., who is accused of killing Jimmy “Jay” Lee while they were both students at the University of Mississippi in 2022, looked up “how long does it take to strangle someone” on the morning Lee went missing.
According to NPR, Lee, a well-known figure in the LGBTQ+ community at the school, disappeared on July 8, 2022. Herrington, who was not open about his sexuality but was rumored to have been involved with Lee, was the last person to have seen him.
Herrington was apprehended on the same day he was seen purchasing duct tape and returning to his hometown in Grenada, which is approximately an hour away from campus. Two weeks after Lee’s disappearance, Herrington was taken into custody and formally charged with capital murder.
Despite the fact that Lee’s body has not yet been located, a judge has officially declared him deceased.
Herrington, who is currently out on bail, could face life in prison. The trial, presided over by Circuit Judge Kelly Luther, ended in a mistrial on Wednesday. Despite a lengthy 9.5-hour deliberation, the jurors were unable to reach a unanimous decision.
According to NPR, the judge will now consult with prosecutors and defense attorneys to decide if they will schedule another trial.