A man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the killing of gay Mississippi student Jimmy “Jay” Lee. 

In December, Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr Herrington pleaded guilty to second degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection to the death of Lee. The 25-year-old was sentenced to four decades in prison. 

Lee, who performed as a drag queen at local venues, went missing from Oxford, Mississippi on 8 July, 2022. He was just 20 and had recently started a master’s degree at the University of Mississippi, where he was part of the establishment’s Ole Miss’ LGBTQ+ community.

Herrington was arrested two weeks later and charged with capital murder. His charge came after investigators found messages between the pair that established they had a sexual history. 

In 2024, a mistrial was declared after jurors were unable to reach a verdict. Herrington’s attorney argued that his client couldn’t be convicted without a body president. 

In February 2025, Lee’s decomposed remains were found in Carroll County. The county coroner was unable to determine Lee’s cause of death due to the condition of his remains, as per People. 

Herrington, who was a graduate of the University of Mississippi and not open about his sexuality, was indicted again and scheduled to face a retrial for capital murder and tampering with evidence. 

Prosectors alleged that Herrington, who maintained his innocence, killed Lee to keep their romantic relationship a secret. 

‘No family should have to go through that’

At the sentencing, Lee’s father said: “I knew from the beginning that you did this, and I believe your family knew. 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.”

He added: “Only in my memories will I hear his voice. This is a sad day for our family because we realise our son is not going to be here.” 

Herrington didn’t give a motive for the killing. 

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Venus and Aurora Matrix, the winner and runner-up of Canada’s Drag Race season four, have seemingly soft launched that they are in a relationship.

The duo, who became close friends during and following their stint on the drag reality contest in early 2024, shared a joint Instagram post on Sunday (1 February), appearing to tease that their relationship is no longer platonic. 

In one photo, Venus and Aurora are pictured kissing passionately, with Venus wrapping an arm around Aurora’s neck. A second photo shows the couple taking a smiling selfie in a hot tub together.

The pair have spent the past few days together, as they appeared at events at Whistler Pride Festival in Whistler, Canada. 

“Shane and Ilya but they’re drag queens,” Venus wrote in the post’s caption, referencing the steamy relationship between Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov in viral queer TV smash, Heated Rivalry.

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In Heated Rivalry, Shane and Ilya start their relationship as competitors – much like Venus and Aurora – before becoming lovers.

Venus tagged the post using the hashtags “#happypridewhistler”, “#scissorsisters” and “#cottagecore”.

The latter hashtag appears to refer to the final episode of Heated Rivalry’s first season, during which Shane and Ilya confess their love for each other while staying at Shane’s cottage.

It’s not the first time Venus and Aurora have teased their relationship, having previously shared sweet selfies together on social media. Yet following their most recent post, some Drag Race fans seem convinced that the pair are officially together, and that their ‘romance’ is no longer just a joke.

“Oh my god is this reeeeeal,” wrote one fan in the post’s comment section.

“Is this like a soft launch or what,” a second questioned.

“Nothing but respect for MY Heated Rivalry,” a third added.

Venus and Aurora’s Drag Race sisters also hopped into the post’s comment section to fawn over the potential romance.

“Wait,” wrote All Stars 10 star Cynthia Lee Fontaine. “Hot couple. Babies will be stunning !”

“The original scissor sisters,” quipped Canada’s Drag Race season six winner, Van Goth.

“Shane and Ilya could only wish. THIS is actual rivalry,” added Drag Race UK vs The World star Melinda Verga.

Aurora added grist to the rumour mill by commenting “The Cottage Afters” alongside a lip-biting emoji.

If Venus and Aurora were to confirm a romance between them, they wouldn’t be the first former Drag Race competitors to find love on the show. 

Drag Race UK stars Actavia and Charra Tea were in a relationship following their appearance on season six in 2024, before splitting last year. Season seven stars Catrin Feelings and Tayris Mongardi also briefly dated following their appearance on the Drag Race UK.

Canada’s Drag Race host Brooke Lynn Hytes and All Stars 9 finalist Vanessa Vanjie Mateo also briefly dated following their appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 in 2019.

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