The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office has released a statement clarifying that reports of a necklace found near human remains over the weekend have not been confirmed.

According to the CCSO, human remains were discovered on Saturday by a group of hunters. The sheriff’s office is working alongside the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and other agencies to determine the identity of the remains.

A news article reported Monday that a gold necklace inscribed “Jay Lee” was found near the remains. However, the CCSO refuted any claims that this information confirms the identity of the deceased.

“At no time whatsoever has Sheriff Walker, nor any member of the CCSO, confirmed that a picture of a necklace has in any way verified the identity of the human remains found in Carroll County over the weekend,” the press release stated.

While the CCSO did not deny that a necklace was found, they emphasized that official identification relies on scientific methods rather than unverified photographs.

Jimmie “Jay” Lee, 20, was last seen around 6 a.m. on July 8, 2022, when he left his apartment at Campus Walk Apartments. His body was never recovered.

“It is regrettable that a member of the press has chosen to run with a story that has not been confirmed,” the CCSO stated. “The identification of human remains is based on scientific analysis, not a mere picture that has not been verified by any agency involved. It is unfair to burden the families of potential victims before a definitive identification has been made.”

Timothy Herrington, originally from Grenada but living in Oxford at the time, was arrested on July 22, 2022, and charged with Lee’s murder. In December 2024, Herrington stood trial; however, the proceedings ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict, voting 11-1 in favor of conviction on a capital murder charge.

During the trial, prosecutors and witnesses suggested that Lee’s body might have been buried in Grenada, as surveillance footage placed Herrington in the area the day after Lee went missing.

Herrington’s trial has not yet been rescheduled.

As of Tuesday morning, the CCSO stated that no further information was available.