Thats all it takes to support the journalism you rely on. He left in his car and I was trying to collect myself at my [grandmothers] house. Her body was discovered in Leakin Park in Baltimore, Maryland, and a few weeks later her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Masud Syed, was . who has spent the past 15 years in jail for the murder of 17-year-old Hae Min Lee, . What happened before that, I dont know.. 'Case Against Adnan Syed' Finale Reveals No DNA, a Plea Deal - Vulture Adnan left and then returned to my house several hours later, closer to midnight in his own car. Thats about burying her. But, like I said, I dont know how to come up with this story about how Adnan did it, why he did it, what he was thinking, how he was thinking, and why he was thinking that. It wasnt like, Oh, were down in the park, come on down.We were friendly, we were cool. 824 Words4 Pages. And soon after that, Syed was charged with her murder. And detective notes capped Browns interview with the word REWARD, written in all caps. Lunch period 11:15-11:30 a.m. Jay drops Adnan back off at school. Even though he and Syed were allegedlyjust acquaintances, Wilds police interviews and witness testimony would ultimately be key to convicting Syed despite his storys inconsistencies and contradictions. "It wasn't Adnan. It wasn't Jay. I know who killed Hae": Serial's Rabia If you're a fan of Sarah Koenig's popular podcast, Serial, then you might already know that previously convicted murderer Adnan Syed whose case was the subject of the podcast's . Wilds, who was an acquaintance of Syed, confessed to helping Syed bury Lee's body, though he originally denied having anything to do with the murder. When the Serial podcast premiered in October of 2014, many listeners were shocked to find that almost the entirety of the prosecutions case to convict Adnan Syed for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee hinged on the testimony of one witnessJay Wilds. I say, Well we need to part ways. I dont remember if he dropped me off at my house or if I got a ride from somebody else. Syed has maintained his innocence since he was arrested for Lee's murder in February 1999, when he was a 17-year-old in high school. CrimeStoppers rewards are apparently paid out the following month after the police report that months official indictments. Yes. No until they told me they werent trying to prosecute me for selling weed, or trying to get any of my friends in trouble. Lee was last seen alive on Jan. 13, 1999. For our age group, she was really independent. Jay Wilds, Maryland's key (and only) witness at Adnan Syed's 2000 trial for murdering Hae Min Lee which was chronicled on the hotly debated Serial podcast, which launched in October 2014 and completed its 12-episode run earlier this month has consented to a single interview (with The Intercept) in an attempt to tell his side of the story. And then in his Intercept interview, Wilds said the body was actually in front of his grandmas house, but he told police it was at the Best Buy, because he didnt want to involve his grandma. To which, Wilds responded, [T]his guy drove up in front of my grandmothers house, popped the trunk, and had his dead girlfriend in the trunk. Then he calls me and says, Come pick me up., So I go to pick him up, and when I get there he says, Oh shit, I did it. I say, Did what? He says, I killed Hae.. Notably, Wilds declined to be a part of the podcast although he was offered an interview. The Woodlawn man has maintained his innocence and the HBO series "The Case Against Adnan Syed" concluded. I remember Adnan standing next to me. The thing is that the story Jay told at trial is not the same story Jay told police the first time.". I stonewalled them that way. Wilds was also an adult who sold marijuana to high school kids, which made him vulnerable. This week, in an interview with The Intercept , Jay Wilds came forward with his account of the January day in 1999 when Hae Min Lee was murdered. They leave the car at a park-and-ride lot. No. Three days later, Baltimore Police . "I don't know if she said something he couldn't handle, and he went off the edge or if he had been seriously speculating about it. We were in the car, we were riding, smoking. A second court proceedings begin, the papers say. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. On January 13th of 1999, a 17 year old Korean girl by the name of Hae Min Lee when missing after school in Baltimore, Maryland. Moreover, a detective named Bill Ritz who repeatedly interviewed Jay Wilds was later accused in a separate case of manipulating and fabricating evidence and not disclosing exculpatory evidence. He claimed Syed had spoken about killing Lee a week before her actual murder and disappearance. At the time of her death, she was said to be dating a guy. By signing up, I agree to receive emails from The Intercept and to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Just another site. Adnan Syed - Trial, 'Serial' & Release - Biography In an interview with The Intercept_, Jay Wilds alleged that. . I would like to forgive Adnan Syed, but as of now, I just don't know how I could, she says. Her body was found in a forest three weeks later. He came back with no tools or anything. He seemed under alot of pressure to please. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Did you make the anonymous call to the police to tip them off about Adnan? Other contributing causes included the emergence of new suspects in the case. Serial podcast gets a sequel as Jay Wilds breaks silence Wilds looms large in Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyders reporting about the trial. February 9, 1999 : Lee's body is found. I was a bit of an outdoorsman, adventure seeker, fishing, camping, learned to ride a motorcycle. Adnan Syed is currently serving life in prison, plus 30 years, for a murder he claims he didn't commit, and he may not have ended up there if it weren't for his former classmate, Jay Wilds. Photo credit: HBO. He ends up waiting more than two years. He was having a hard enough time with that itself. Without Jay's testimony, it is highly unlikely that the state could have ever taken him to trial. Jay From 'Serial': Sarah Koenig 'Demonized Me' - Rolling Stone What else could motivate you to choke the life out of someone you cared about? I dont know what happened, what occurred between them that day. I saw her body later, in front ofof my grandmothers house where I was living. Speaking with The Intercept, Wilds said his assumption was . For other inquiries, Contact Us. In one police interview, Wilds said he saw the body, it was in a car in the parking lot of a Best Buy. About a month later, police uncovered her body in a nearby park; an. The Most Bizarre Things About The Adnan Syed Case - NickiSwift.com But there was a grand jury hearing on this case,andI have an idea who might have based on that hearing. The Case Against Adnan Syed: Who is Stephanie McPherson? The popular podcast detailed an investigation into the 15-year-old murder of . Is that why you didntinitiallycooperate with the police? UFC's Raul Rosas Jr. 18-Year-Old Fighter . I follow him halfway back down the hill, park, smoke some cigarettes. If Wilds were meeting with the cops before this official interview, its completely possible he would have been coached, as Simpson suggests. I was not sure. Adnan Syed Released from Prison: A Timeline of 'Serial' Murder Case I know I didnt kill her. Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly stated that Adnan Syed went to trial in December 2000. Who Are the Other Two Suspects in the Adnan Syed Case? Adnan did not know that Jay had spoken to the police. When Adnan loaned you his car onJan. 13, 1999, did he tell you it was because he planned on murdering Hae? Jay Wilds and Adnan Syed were reportedlynot close friends but the Woodlawn High School seniors fates would eventually become inextricably linked through a brutal Jan. 1999 murder case, when Syed was arrested and ultimately convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. October 11, 2022: Prosecutors drop charges against Syed. "This was true in 1999 when he was a 17-year-old child. The podcast alleged that there were inconsistencies between his police statements and the testimony he gave at Syed's second trial. I remember the highway traffic to my right, and I remember standing there on the curb. (Wilds would later lead the police to Lees car, parked on a residential street.) Then Jay spoke. Though Wilds didnt participate in Serial, he did conduct a .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}three-part interview with The Intercepts Natasha Vargas-Cooper, and attorney Rabia Chaudry (also Syeds childhood friend) launched the Undisclosed podcast, both of which add layers to the mystery enshrouding Wilds testimony. Its been more than two decades since the body of Woodlawn High School senior .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Hae Min Lee was found at Leakin Park in West Baltimore, Maryland. Yeah. The taps on the recording, some have decided, may have been the sound of someone writing pen to paper very quickly on a hard surface, or just a little physical cue that Wilds needed to come up with the right answer fast. In support of their request, prosecutors cited two "alternative suspects" who were known at the time of the investigation and expert. Jay's story was wildly inconsistent. I didnt know it was that close. Love Island's Olivia Hawkins breaks silence as she returns to the UK, Loose Women star lined up to be Strictly's first contestant in wheelchair, GMB's Kate Garraway reveals crippling cost of caring for her husband Derek, Stephen Bear 'broke behind bars' as his company is shut down before he's jailed, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Ok, so you arrive at Cathys with Adnan after he tells you he murdered Hae? We drive over toCathys house to smoke. It doesnt seem like enough of a reason to not talk to the police. We were kind of surprised because she told us that he was one of her best friends, he said. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Hae Min Lee was last seen at about 3pm on 13 January 1999. "The Case Against Adnan Syed" also notes that Wilds contradicted himself on the witness stand when it came to the story he told police about helping Syed dig the hole: At first, he said he met Syed at a mall parking lot and then went to Leakin Park to bury the body, but later, Wilds said Syed showed him Lees corpse in a Best Buy parking lot. Jays wife and mother entertained the couples young children while Jay and I spoke in the family living room. I had cops show up and harass me before at my house. It was at least a week before she died, when he found out she was either cheating on him or leaving him. In July 2014, a cold case in Baltimore County was solved when new DNA evidence was tested. According to the Undisclosed podcast, Lee goes on her first date with her LensCrafter co-worker Don Clinedinst, who happens to be the son of the store manager. Something definite in both media arguments is Wilds's change in story. . Everything We Know About Jay Wilds From HBO's Serial Documentary Emotions have no IQ. She got a new boyfriend? And he didnt know how to deal with that. He might be needed back in court soon. Syeds trial, and Jays testimony, became the focus of a This American Life spinoff series, the 12-part podcast Serial, broadcast in the fall of this year. Phinn's decision came after prosecutors told the court they lost faith in Syed's conviction in light of new evidence and violations in the governments turning over evidence. Now, Wilds' story is under the microscope again with HBO's new docu-series "The Case Against Adnan Syed," which digs further into Lee's murder and Syed's supposed role in it. It remains true today." In both, Syed's guilt is questioned, as is Wilds's statements. Inside Serial's Adnan Syed's murder conviction and the other suspects Feb. 1999: Police built a case against Syed, largely on the testimony of a man named Jay Wilds, who at the time had more than 20 run-ins with police -- including aggravated assault against a . We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. As described by Syed to Serial, he goes to his photography and English classes and then calls his friend Jay Wilds, offering to lend him his car during his lunch period. Meanwhile, Wilds version of the day changed throughout his interviews and testimony. When the Serial podcast premiered in October of 2014, many listeners were shocked to find that almost the entirety of the prosecutions case to convict Adnan Syed for the . Syed was actually convicted in February 2000. Jay Wilds is a former classmate of Adnan Syed from Baltimore, Maryland. I said, Isnt he a paramedic? And she said, Nah, hes cool, plus he wants to buy., I didnt trust him at first, since he wasnt like the people I knew pot smokers you know? He did, after all, give multiple conflicting locations for where the murder took place and where the body was found. I told [Adnan] that I wouldnt touch her car, or any of her possessions, and I say, Fuck it. Last seen driving away from the high school in her gray Nissan on January 13, 1999, the 18-year-old Lee was found dead in Baltimore's Leakin Park about a month later. At trial, he said Adnan killed Hae in the parking lot of Best Buy, and then he also said he helped Adnan bury her in Leakin Park, Chaudry notes during the episode. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Im not a lawyer and Im not a cop. The case is reopened to take into account McClains new testimony, new cell phone data and allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel as well as prosecutorial misconduct, according to Harpers Bazaar. Syed was sentenced to life in prison. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. In it, Koenig talks to Syed who says hes innocent. And hes like, Ive gotta put her car somewhere. So I follow him around for a few minutes, and he just picks a place at random behind some row houses, leaves her car, gets into his car, takes me home. I've posted 25 entries Sarah Koenig's Serial Podcast, which deals with the 1999 prosecution of 17 year-old Adnan Syed for murdering his ex-girlfriend, 18 year-old Hae Min Lee, on January 13, 1999 . Jay claims that once he acquired the marijuana, Adnan threatened to turn him in if he didnt help bury Haes body. I was also running [drug] operations from my grandmothers house. When did you two get closer to each other? For instance, during one of his police interviews highlighted in The Case Against Adnan Syed,an officer asks Wilds, Youre sure its the 13th because we told you got these calls on the 13th? Jay responds in the affirmative. Wilds, who was an acquaintance of Syed, confessed to helping Syed bury. 'Alternative suspects,' unreliable evidence support new trial for Adnan Serial Three seasons, investigation The addictive 2014 podcast that started the global mania for true crime. What the Undisclosed pod offers up for an explanation is that because Wilds himself came under investigation, he could not recover the money. What did you know about Adnan and his relationship with Hae Min Lee? Heres everything we know about Jay Wilds before the premiere of HBOs documentary series, The Case Against Adnan Syed. I walked around through the bushes and everything and I got back that way and I was getting ready to urinate when I looked down I seen something that looked like hair, something was covered by the dirt. In February of 2000, 18-year-old Adnan Syed was found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, who went missing the year before. We get into his car, and he drives up around the corner to Haes car. In his first interview since the end of "Serial," Jay Wilds says he thinks he knows who . Adnan Syed, 41, was released from prison earlier this month after revelations proved that key information which could have proved his innocence was withheld from his defense counsel back then. Im pretty sure it was my fear of going to prison for having a bunch of weed in my grandmas house. Cathy has people over when we get there. In the wee hours of the night, Lees car is found around 4:30 a.m. and around 6 a.m., Syed is arrested at his home on the 7000 block of Johnnycake Road. Syed Adnan, then 17, was convicted of murdering Hae Min Lee, 18, in 1999 after a high school romance in Baltimore, MD. "I guess I was being kind of a jury on whether or not people needed to be involved or whatever, but these people didn't have anything to do with it, and I knew they didn't have anything to do with it," he said. He knows that none of us are basically giving up. The following two series stepped away from the whodunnit intensity of the first, and went on to examine an American army deserter and the court system in Ohio. The story Jay told police had problems, because it kept changing from telling to telling, Koenig says in the first episode of Serial. But they were able to bolster the main plot points using cell records from Adnans phone., Others think the inconsistencies point toward something else Chaudry says in the documentary that she thinks the police were helping [Wilds] craft the story.. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. There are other legal options and we are exploring each and every one of them. Family friend and lawyer Chaudry added: He is hanging in there. The ins and outs of the timeline have been scrutinized and studied endlessly by professionals and amateurs alike. Syed was 17 at the time that Lee was murdered in January 1999. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. There were some big forces going on that didnt have anything to do with Hae. He failed; he lost the girl. Wilds' first taped interview with police occurred on February 28, 1999. We were in the car together during last periodhe was ditching the last period. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! I worked a lot. Jay from Serial: 'I was convinced that I would be going to jail for a I believe I told them it was in front of Cathys [not her real name] house, but it was in front of my grandmothers house. That would free Wilds to then collect the reward moneyafter detectives officially filed Syeds indictment to CrimeStoppers on October 1stin November. He was prompted to speak with detectives after a friend of Adnan and Jay, Jenn, told detectives that Jay told . JAY WILDS. Four weeks later, her half-buried body was found at Leakin. Jay chose not to be formally interviewed by either This American Life or by Serial host and producer, Sarah Koenig.