More than two years after University of Mississippi student Jimmie “Jay” Lee vanished, the man accused of his murder, Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington, Jr., is set to stand trial. Jury selection begins Monday, Dec. 2, in Lafayette County for the high-profile case, expected to last up to two weeks with a sequestered jury.

Prosecutors allege Herrington, 23, murdered Lee, 20, on July 8, 2022, and disposed of his body to conceal their romantic relationship. Lee, a beloved member of Oxford’s LGBTQ+ community, has not been seen since that day. Earlier this year, Lee’s parents declared him legally dead, though his body has not been found.

Herrington was arrested two weeks after Lee’s disappearance. Investigators presented evidence including surveillance footage of Herrington fleeing his apartment complex where Lee’s car was abandoned, suspicious internet searches, and cadaver dog alerts to the scent of human remains in Herrington’s apartment and car. Herrington’s defense team disputes the reliability of the cadaver dog evidence and maintains his innocence.

Initially denied bond, Herrington was later released with an ankle monitor following a lawsuit against the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department alleging wrongful confinement.

The trial will delve into chilling details from prior hearings, including a Google search for “How long does it take to strangle someone?” and detectives’ accounts of Herrington’s movements on the day Lee disappeared. State Rep. Kevin Horan now leads Herrington’s defense as the case unfolds under the watchful eyes of the Oxford community.