5 things we learned from Tuesday’s bond hearing of Timothy Herrington, Jr.

OXFORD, Miss. (WLBT) - The man accused of killing Ole Miss student Jimmie “Jay” Lee appeared before a judge Tuesday for his initial bond hearing.

Timothy Herrington, Jr., 22, is charged with first degree murder in the case. The body of Lee has yet to be recovered.

Lee, 20, was last seen the morning of July 8 at the Campus Walk Apartments near the University of Mississippi campus. Herrington was arrested on July 22.

At the end of the hearing, Judge Gray Tollison denied bond for Herrington.

Here are five things we learned Tuesday.

1) ‘I’m certain he’s no longer here with me’

Jay Lee’s mother, Stephanie Lee, was the first witness to take the stand on Tuesday.

She was emotional, expressing that she was certain her son, Jay Lee, was no longer living. In a cruel sense of irony, her birthday occurred on July 8 - the same day Jay Lee went missing.

2) Surveillance video released

Detective Ryan Baker with the Oxford Police Department also took the stand on Tuesday.

He said that surveillance video showed Jay Lee coming down the stairs of the Campus Walk Apartments around 5:58 a.m. on the morning of July 8. He said Lee was going to meet Timothy Herrington.

Prosecutors showed photos and videos from surveillance cameras showing who they say was Herrington driving Jay Lee’s vehicle to the Molly Barr Trails Apartments around 7:25 a.m. the same morning.

Video then showed a man wearing a hoodie jogging near the entrance of Molly Barr Trails Apartments. Baker said that man was also Herrington.

Detective Baker said Lee’s vehicle was not seen exiting the parking lot of the apartment complex until Monday, July 11, when it was towed.

3) Herrington admits to sexual relationship with Lee

At Tuesday’s bond hearing, prosecutors showed a clip of the interview police conducted with Herrington.

In the interview, Herrington said his relationship with Jay Lee was sexual.

He told police that Lee blocked one of his accounts on Snapchat, which was their way of communicating. He then created multiple accounts.

Prosecutors showed the Snapchat thread between Herrington and Lee. At 6:03 a.m. on July 8, the last day Lee was seen alive, Lee messaged Herrington that he was coming over.

4) Cadaver dogs hit scent

While on the stand, Detective Baker said that two cadaver dogs hit on a dead body scent in Herrington’s apartment, Lafayette Place, as well as inside of his SUV.

5) ‘How long does it take to strangle someone’

In possibly the biggest revelation of Tuesday’s hearing, investigators announced that they were able to get a hold of some of the Google searches from Herrington’s MacBook.

Baker said at 5:56 a.m., minutes before Jay Lee arrived at Herrington’s apartment, Herrington Googled, “How long does it take to strangle someone?”

While on the witness stand, however, Tina Herrington, Timothy’s mom, said that her son was a “dependable and trustworthy man.”

She asked the judge to keep her son’s character in mind, stating that she believed Herrington deserved to be given a bond.

When all was said and done, Timothy Herrington’s bond was denied.

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