The Murder of Jimmy “Jay” Lee: “ The Ole Miss Murder”

marginalization, trans women of color specifically experience the most violence. These cases are true then make and their voices matter. This is a hateful homicide. The Murder of Jenny J. Lee the Ole Miss Murder A College Affair Friday, July 8, 2022 Oxford, Mississippi Warning the following episodes you're about to experience might contain evidence of misgendering. Discretion is advised.

Newspapers Imani Williams joining us live now from Oxford.

It's Friday, July 8, 2022 in the city of Oxford, Mississippi. It would be the home where 20 year old black genderqueer and gender fluid Jimmy J. Lee would reside. And when they disappeared that Friday, July 8th of 2022, it will leave the city of Oxford offended and demanding justice for the next years to come. Welcome my audience to Season five. Excuse me. Season seven Episode three the Murder of Jimmy Jenny Jaylene the Ole Miss Murder this case entails love, a college Romance. Have two individuals who met on campus developed a romance? Though it would be in secret, it was still a romance like no other. They would become a couple and over time, when one of them needed more from the relationship other than secret trysts and rendezvous, it would lead the other developing a plan to commit a hateful homicide. This all began on Jay's mother's birthday that Friday, July 8th of 2022. 20 year old black gender queer and gender fluid individual Jimmy J. Lee, also known as Jay was supposed to spend time with their mother. When they failed to show up, their mom immediately became concerned as this was unlike Jay, they spent time together all the time and this was her birthday. Why would Jay not be there? Immediately she reaches out to her spouse and her other children as well as start contacting Jay's loved ones such as friends, even a partner that Jay had spent time with. 22 year old black cisgendered male, Timothy Harrington Jr. Jay's mother makes the frequency of calls wanting to know where is her child and one by one from her children to her spouse, to her loved ones, to their loved ones and even Jay's on and off again partner Tim Harriton Jr. No one had seen or heard from Jay. After Jay had not been seen or heard from any type of witnessing in more than 48 hours. Jay's mother and father and siblings went to the Oxford Police Department on that Sunday July 10th of 2022 and filed a missing persons report. Officer John Wayne Hitchens immediately took the missing person's report. The Lee family mentioned that Jay was a student at Ole Miss and would never go missing as they were taking summer courses and wanted to graduate earlier, sooner rather than later. Their child would never do this, as well as the fact that Jay would never miss their mother's birthday. Officer Hitchens takes down the information and gets all of the logistical as well as biographical information for 4J Lee, age 25 foot 8, slender build, afro Caribbean college students. Officer Hitchens gets a list of individuals who the lead family believes could possibly know what happened to J. Why did they not show up for their mother's birthday party, a party that they helped plan? Officer Hitchens takes the report on that Sunday, July 10th of 2022, and gets the information that's needed. And as that's underway, there's much more to the investigation.

I'll walk you through the latest details.

Welcome back, my audience. And as we continue to go through this case, it's important to get an understanding of exactly what has happened throughout this odyssey of the past five, almost five years, from 2022 to present. When Jay first disappeared, no one knew what happened. Everyone wanted to know their classmates. And the only person who didn't seem to be concerned was Tim Harrington Jr. It was disturbing. And that was one of the things that Officer Hinton noticed in his phone conversation. He noticed that

He noticed that there was something off about Harrington. When interviewed my audience, he asked Tim Harrington Jr. When's the last time that you spoke to Jen? He said it had been a few days. We were Taking a break, Officer Hitchens as well as Detective Paul Abernathy. Asked for Tim Harrington Jr. To undergo a lie detector test and he agreed. And as that analyst is providing that lie detector test, it is revealed that Tim Harrington Jr. Is not telling the truth. This would lead to Officer Hintons and Detective Abernathy getting a search warrant for Tim Harrington's college dorm apartments. While this is underway, the Lee family and others are doing a thorough investigation, a search into Jay's disappearance. And not only them but as well as Oxford Police Department is able to obtain CCTV footage in the reference of ring camera from Jay's neighbor. And around the early morning hours of Friday, July 8, 2022, the 20 year old gender fluid black, incredible individual, college student at Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi, the heart of Mississippi, disappeared, was seen in their satin robes, in their satin bonnet, in their slippers and had it draped around them, going to their vehicle and getting in and driving off. And that is the last footage that is ever known of Jay Lee. The family is wondering where is Jay going? So Officer Hitchens and Detective Abernathy see Jay's phone record. Oh, and my audience, guess where the phone record placed Jay before the phone went completely dead. And the only way and the only thing that the family and loved ones would receive is voicemail. The calls going straight to voicemail. Well before the call started going straight to voicemail, Jay's phone was pinging at Timothy Harrington Jr's apartment. And also at the same time, while this evidence is coming in, It is revealed that there is forensic evidence linking Jay into the apartment. Though Timothy Harrington Jr. Said he had not seen nor spoken to Jay in over a week. Now, faced with all of this evidence, my audience, he has some explaining to do. But in the meantime, as his evidence is coming in, he will be apprehended on charges such as false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, concealing evidence and more. He's accused of killing his friend, his classmate Jimmy J. Lee inside the courtroom covering this for years, Ever since he

Jay Lee went missing.

That's my first time hearing that today. And that was another issue that we raised.

I haven't looked at any evidence. All most evidence I've seen has been what I saw in a motion today. So my determination on the defense has not been made yet. I still have to get. I mean again I'm, I think I stand in the unique position to be able to put a fresh set of eyes on all the evidence. So I haven't formed an opinion on how that changes anything. My client still one is presumed innocent and it maintains innocence.

Welcome back my audience. And as we continue through this case, there has been a lot that the Lee family have been during. They'd have no idea where Jay is. And this would go on for time after time after. Then 22 year old black cisgendered male, Timothy Harrington Jr. Failed his polygraph test. He would then go on to hire a lawyer stating that he felt he was being harassed, he was getting Ready to graduate from college, going to get his graduate degree. He didn't need this. Him and Jay weren't together, and he felt that law enforcement were singling him out. And once he hired an attorney, things got a little even more intense. But ultimately, he would be charged with kidnapping and the first degree murder. Not only did forensic evidence in his apartment, as well as CCTV footage, but then also the phone evidence. It all pointed to Jay leaving their home in the early morning hours of Friday, July 8, 2022, heading over to Tim Harrington Jr's apartment under the roof of, having a conversation, working on their relationship not being a secret anymore. And while Jay was driving over there with the intent on making their relationship better, Tim Harrington Jr. Was preparing to commit a hateful homicide. And this Ole Miss murder would be one that would shake the city of Oxford and the county of Lafayette for many years to come. Even When Tim Harrington Jr. Was arrested for murder, Officer Hinchens and Detective Abernathy would go and ask him over and over, tell us, where is Jay's body? And he would have refused over and over and over again. He will continue to do this. And it's one of those things. That it's hard to even fathom. This case, it continued to take twists and turns. A lot of continuances. When the trial first began, as they were proceeding with a nobody homicide case, prosecutor La Vier would say that this was going to be a case that the world needed to know about. So much to the point that the case has been covered and featured on shows such as Dateline. Tim Harrington Jr. Would be charged with first degree murder and facing the death penalty. But his attorney, defense attorney Mozart, would argue that because Jay's body had not been found, when the trial began in the summer of 2023, just a year after Jay's disappearance, They were like, well, how did we really know that Jay died? Yes, there's some forensic evidence and this and that, but still, even if Jay came over and Jay still could have left, this was the argument of the defense attorney, Lorraine Mozart. And the prosecutors and their team continue to argue that Jay would never miss their mother's birthday, that Jay would never finish college, as at this point, Jay would have been 21 in 2023. They had goals and aspirations, and in 2022, Jay was 20 and looking forward to turning 21. Jay had even allowed themselves to get to know other people and start dating. But when Jay and Tim met in the summer of 2021, just one year before their hateful homicide, first by disappearing until their remains will be discovered in February of 2020 25. This has led to a case again, like I said, no other because Jay trusted Tim, Jay loved him. But also Jay knew that Tim was keeping them a secret. And Jay decided to put themselves out there and get to know other guys. And that bothered Tim. Tim didn't want to be open with Jay, but Tim also didn't want Jay with anyone else. And all the way to the point where because Jay's family was so loving and supportive that they, you know, Jay was even thinking of bringing this, you know, potential partner to their mom's birthday and it's upset him. And when this was all argued in the first trial, the jury would go out and it would be hung. And partly due to the fact that the defense attorney Mozart was able to rule against prosecutor Lazier that Jay could have still at that time been missing, disappeared, maybe decided to start a new life. And so ultimately Timothy Harrington Jr. Would be set free for a moment, sort of speak. But then hunters would find the remains of Jimmy J. Lee, the 20 year old gender fluid, non binary, incredible black community member, college student, Ole Miss who fell in love with another Ole miss student, then 22 year old black cisgender male Timothy Harrington Jr. Jay disappears but their remains will be found. And when they were discovered by Hunter in Lafayette county, prosecutor La Zaire would begin another trial.

You know what the weather was in Oxford July 8th?

Welcome back my audience. And as we continue to go through this case, this gives you an idea of Once Jay's body was found, all bets were off. They from prosecutor LA to Circuit court Circuit judge. Excuse me, Circuit Court Judge Luther this was one of those cases where justice needed to be served. And so when the next trial began in December 17th of 2025, the state of Oxford, the community, the loved ones of Jay, their previous partner, their friends, community activists and so many others meet edf, all came out to assure that justice would be served. At Timothy Harrington's second trial, so much evidence had mounted against himself and keep in mind that he was still facing the death penalty that he got to a place where he was contemplating should he take a plea, he really thought that he could get away with his behavior. Jimmy J. Lee, born in 2002, was beloved by their mother, their father, their grandparents, siblings and cousins and was proud of who they were and they were going to school to get their Bachelor's of arts. They were a cosmetologist, fashionista, social media influencer. Jay had worked really hard to get their own vehicle, have a job putting themselves through school and they were very open and private, proud and about their gender journey and their expressions all the way to the point where

learn to love Jay for who they

as a loved one would express. Jay, who was vibrant and full of life and forgiving, enrolled enrolled at the University of Mississippi, also known as ole miss, in 2020. That fall, the freshman entered, instantly met then 20 year old college sophomore Timothy Harrington, J Jr. Who too was therefore a Bachelor's of Arts. They met in the library, hit it off and began to flirt. But Timothy, who was an athlete and a popular student, made it very clear that their relationship would have to be secret as they lived in Oxford, Mississippi, the Deep south. Very Republican, very conservative. And initially Jay agreed, you know, newly to the university, no fuss, no mutts. However, over time, over two years of bonding on and off and then making things official, one minute in 2021,

Tim Harrington Jr. Would call it off again that winter of 2021, which would propel Jay to begin a relationship with a new individual, someone who Jay felt would love them openly for them. And in 2022, like I said, Jay was looking forward to finishing their summer courses, getting ready to turn 21, getting to build a stronger relationship with this new partner. But all of that will be interrupted on that Friday around 6:00am Central Standard Time, when Jay disappears. Cell phone evidence, forensic evidence, biological evidence, fingerprints not only in his apartment, but also on Tim Harrington's body. Prosecutors in the second trial that began in December 17th of 2025 introduced the fact that based off of the remains being analyzed and autopsy being performed, The Timothy Harrington first subdued Jay by strangling, smothering, and Jay would go to claw and scratch. Which is what Officer Hitchens noticed when interviewing in that first round of conversations before the arrest, as well as Detective Abernak, they knew something was not right. At the vigil, at the, at the search party, Timothy Harrington Jr. Was nowhere to be found. There's one thing to be secretive, but to not even care. Oh my, my audience. He was telling on himself. Jay's father was a renowned pastor

an Episcopal church and Jay's grandfather was the founder of that church. So not only did Jay come from a fundamentalist loving spiritual family full of faith, which is what they entailed when they went over to Tim Harrington's apartment those early morning morning hours of Friday, July 8, 2022, the 20 year old had that faith and trust and even posed a question in a series of text messages. You're not going to hurt me, are you, Tim? Because their relationship has been so prawn back and forth on and off, such a yo yo, such a seesaw, that Jay got to a point where they didn't even know if they were safe around Tim. And especially when Jay started dating someone else and Tim found out, even though it was discovered he had a whole girlfriend and this girlfriend didn't even know about his relationship with Jay. Jay knew that Tim, though he didn't want their relationship to be public, he still did not want Jay with anyone else. And this is what he what Jay shared with their mother about Tim and how dangerous he was, as well as other loved ones. And so when all of this was shared to officer Hintrichs in the missing persons report, as well as detective Abernathy who took the case and when prosecuted last year. All of this led up to this. Oh, miss Murder. This college affair to where if I could have you, no one else could.

The

We talked about our faith in depth.

Welcome back, my audience. And that was part of the trial, as well as the response from Officer Hitchens. And as we slowly prepare to conclude this case, it's really important to understand Just how impactful J. Lee's hateful homicide impacted not only the city of Oxford but also the world abroad. Officers, law enforcement. Like with Kornstar's case in season seven episode two, you get to see how the south shows up. Bruce Tagrabius case was in Alabama and Jay Leaves is in Mississippi and four years apart but still law enforcement and prosecutors and medical and forensics, everyone stepped up and gave these beautiful black, gender fluid, genderqueer individuals their voice back. Tim Harrington would ultimately, because he did not want wants to face the death penalty, would ultimately plead guilty to second degree murder and tampering with evidence and would be given a 40 year sentence, which is what we experienced in the audio earlier. As well as Officer Hitchens and Detective Abernathy sharing on just their incredible gratitude for Jaylee's parents, Jimmy and Stephanie Lee. And so as we prepare to slowly conclude this case, just give a little bit more context into the sentencing of Tim Harrington. And again that international impact it made for not only stating that LGBTQ college students, students can be safe in the south, but if something should happen, they would get justice. In the Timothy Harrington, that's his name trial is now sentenced and we have our crew. Ezekiel Telmical is live down in Oxford with more Ezekiel.

I called back on July 8th constantly. I need you to go to my baby's apartment to do a wellness check. He stopped answering the call. I knew, I knew in my heart,

Welcome back, my audience. And it's important to understand that the parents of Jaylee were devastated, but they do believe that this is some sense of giving them closure and so many others in the community. Before we conclude, I want to share with you all just a little bit of the impact that Jay made. All the way to starring on Dateline. One thing was, people will know my name. People will know me.

We got the call from the university police department about, hey, Jaylee's missing.

We started looking at who he's talking to.

It seemed like Jaylee was upset.

bad could happen to you.

It's in the middle of a summer here in Mississippi. Somebody wearing a hoodie called our Eye. He looks at the trash can big

there was a piece of jewelry that

book and a suspect whose life was

hands, and a flashlight catches a glimpse of something shiny.

You start stacking those pebbles and all of a sudden, everything starts to point in one direction.

How did you find out what happened?

Where are you at? What you eating today? What you doing tomorrow?

In real time.

He wrote, I love you.

heart something was wrong.

Can I say it is remarkable that

kept that location on.

Jose Reyes, which was odd because I

And there's a camera right here outside of Jay's apartment looking right at his door.

of this, my audience led to discovering that Timothy Harrington Jr. Committed the hateful homicide of J. Leave. Oh, as we remember you, Jay, born 2002 and resting on since July 8th of 2022, remains discovered February 1st, 2025. We remember you yesterday, today, tomorrow, forever and always. Thank you so much, my audience, for tuning in to season seven, episode three, the Murder of J. Lee. The Ole Miss Murder, College Affairs. I'm your host, Mallory Jenner Robinson and I look forward to continuing sharing many more episodes with you all. Next one to come up is going to be a double hateful homicide, that of Jada Peterson and Remy Fennell. Which occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2021, as well as the double murder, slash, attempted murder of Paulina Solis and Selena Treveski. And this happened back in the 90s. So many more cases to come along. Again, continue to be kind to each other, stay safe. And until next time, my audience, please, like, follow, share, let people know about a hateful homicide. And I do have some, some very exciting things to share with you all as we continue on. Until then, thank you. Bye bye.