Father Pleads for Safe Return of Missing Son After Police Retrieves Jimmie Jay Lee's Car

The father of Jimmie Jay Lee, who went missing after Friday, July 8, 2022, pleads for his son's safe return home.

Jimmie Lee Sr. faced the cameras and asked for help from the public to find his son, whose car, a 2014 black Ford Fusion, was retrieved at a towing company's garage. The elder Lee said that he hopes someone will contact law enforcement if they have information about Jay. The father's video was uploaded online by the Oxford Police, per CNN.

Reports cited that Jay's car was towed in the afternoon of the 20-year-old's disappearance, but the authorities only learned that it was at the towing company on Monday, July 11. Jay apparently left his car at the Molly Barr Trails apartment complex before 6 a.m., where the police believed he was visiting someone. Molly Bars Trails is within an off-campus residential area.

The police said they have followed up on every lead and tip that has come in. Numerous people have been questioned while a dozen search warrants, for both digital and actual entities, have been executed. His vehicle is under process at the crime laboratory. Search and rescue teams have also looked into areas with their K9 units to trace Jay, who was said to be wearing a gold cap, silver robe, and gray slippers.

Jay's disappearance is out of character

Lakiowa Milan, a neighbor and friend of Jay, said that his disappearance was highly unusual and out of character. She believes there should be an alert on a kidnapping because Jay would not drop out of the radar like this. She also does not know anyone with reasons to hurt her friend because Jay is friendly, nice, and sweet. He's not shy to talk to anyone.

On the other hand, Jay's father said that his 20-year-old son was working on providing infant formula for needy babies. He didn't care about someone's skin color or background because he would find a way to help anyone.

Tayla Carey, Jay's sister, said that their last communication with him was around 2 a.m. on the day of his disappearance. He sent their mother a text message to wish her a happy birthday. Carey described his brother as a social butterfly. She hopes that someone was able to capture a video of Jay at the apartment complex to provide to the police.

The student is also active in the LGBT community at the University of Mississippi. Close friends said that Jay identifies as he/him but presents himself as feminine. Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill also met Jay when the student asked to shadow one of the mayor's staff at City Hall. The mayor described Jay as "one of the kindest folks I've met on campus," per the Clarion Ledger.

Crime Stoppers has agreed to reward $1,000 for leads that will safely bring Jay back home. Information may be relayed to the Oxford police via 662-232-2400 or the University of Mississippi police at 662-915-7234.

Search for missing student cold case resumes

Meanwhile, about 1,300 miles from Mississippi, the New Hampshire police resumed the search for a missing student in a cold case nearly 20 years ago. Maura Murray crashed her car on Route 112 in 2004, but police found the vehicle abandoned, without any traces of the student.

Associate Attorney General Jeffrey Strelzin said they had to release a notice of the search because the area covered was larger than previous searches; thus, it would likely raise the alarm and curiosity, per WMUR. The Murray family has also been informed of the search's resumption. However, the authorities did not detail if they found new information regarding Murray's disappearance.

In 2019, police searched a home's basement near Route 112 after locals said a body could be buried under it. At that time, Strelzin said they did not find anything.