Wilds, who gave police multipleinterviews and testified in court, was first questioned on Feb. 28, 1999, just hours before police arrested Syed on suspicion of Lees murder. In part 2, Wilds shares his thoughts on the actions he took following the murder, as well as his choice to remain uninvolved as This American Life producers Julie Snyder and Sarah Koenig pieced. Wilds, a former classmate of Syed, has been relatively under the radar since the 2000 trial that sentenced Syed to life in prison plus 30 years on charges of . who has spent the past 15 years in jail for the murder of 17-year-old Hae Min Lee, . Jay firmly believes that he was wrongfully represented on the podcast. Syed is currently serving a life sentence. Jay Wilds, the key witness in the Serial murder case, has broken his silence at last. A December 1999 trial ended in mistrial. 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. I was pretty distraught, fucked up, feeling guilty for not saying nothing. And soon after that, Syed was charged with her murder. Pusateris first statement to the cops said that shed gotten a call from Wilds on Syeds phone, while a later statement included information that Wilds had confessed to her that hed helped Syed bury Lee, though the police may have already been looking at him as an accomplice before theyd even spoken to Pusateri, and also bringing him him for questioning. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. I played lacrosse, was a bit of a jock. Syed, whose life sentence was recently overturned by a Baltimore Circuit Judge, has been released from prison after serving nearly 23 years of jail time. Wilds was also an adult who sold marijuana to high school kids, which made him vulnerable. Though Syed said Wilds wasn't with him and had his cell phone at 3:30, his phone called a girl named Nisha, whom only Syed, and not Wilds, knew. The podcast attracted global attention, and had gained more than 100 million downloads by June 2016. On January 13, 1999, Korean-American high school student Hae Min Lee, 18, was reported missing by her family after failing to come home. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Though Wilds' testimony seemed to have been trusted implicitly by Syed's jury, the Serial podcast shining a light on the key details of Wilds' claims led many listeners to believe Wilds was. The student told the official that he was suppose[d] to get a ride home from the victim, but he got detained at school and felt that she just got tired of waiting and left, according to the 2019 appeal. What Happened On Serial Season 1? Recap Of Adnan Case - Refinery29 I stonewalled them that way. Why did you agree to help Adnan bury Hae? In the podcast Koenig pointedly challenged Jays account of events and his motivation for assisting Adnan. He had a professional job in high school, he was aparamedic or something [Ed. However, Syed is not allowed out on bail while he waits for the new trial. 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. Your login session has expired. Wilds' testimony in the murder trial was central to the conviction of Syed due to the nature of his account of events. I saw her body later, in front ofof my grandmothers house where I was living. But their gym, lockers, parking, was down in the magnet wing. The hugely popular 12-part podcast "Serial" investigated the 1999 murder of teenager Hae Min Lee and the murder conviction the following year of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, who is currently. 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. He said that the idea of Best Buy came from the police. Inside Serial's Adnan Syed's murder conviction and the other suspects Though Wilds stands by his storyat least the one he told The InterceptChaudry and Undisclosed have continued to dig up evidence that wouldnt just exonerate Syed, but also Wilds himself. 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. Instead, his words were shown on a screencap: Jay maintained to the filmmakers that on the day of the murder, he borrowed Adnans car to buy his girlfriend a birthday present. No. 824 Words4 Pages. Syeds first appeal is denied by the Court of Special Appeals, according to court records. He has a great legal team. Jay said that he and Adnan left Haes car in a grassy lot on January 13th, where it remained until Jay took the police there on February 28th. It remains true today." She got a new boyfriend? And he didnt know how to deal with that. 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. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. Adnan was convicted after Jay Wilds, a friend of Adnan's, said in court that he helped Adnan bury Hae Min Lee's body, . Everything We Know About Jay Wilds From HBO's Serial Documentary He seemed a little bit more uptight than the other Muslim kids that I knew. The way Wilds tells it, Syed pressured him to help dispose of Lees body. I dont know whether he calls me when hes on his way back to my house, or if he calls me right outside the house. By signing up, I agree to receive emails from The Intercept and to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Hae Min Lee was last seen at about 3pm on 13 January 1999. He never said anything like, Hey, what gauge gun should I use? or How many minutes am I supposed to hold somebody under the water for? or, Is there a statute of limitation on murder? I thought he was just blowing off steam and bullshitting. Jay Wilds | The Undisclosed Wiki It was at least a week before she died, when he found out she was either cheating on him or leaving him. I dont know what happened, what occurred between them that day. Heres everything we know about Jay Wilds before the premiere of HBOs documentary series, The Case Against Adnan Syed. I pick him up he doesnt have any car with him. They also highlighted the inconsistent statements of his co-defendant, Jay Wilds, who testified against him. The police and prosecutors then laid their investigation on Adnan solely because that was the lead they wanted to believe for the sake of closing the case. I saw the ATF and DEA take down guys in my neighborhood for selling much less than I was at the time. Everything We Know About Jay Wilds From HBO's Serial Documentary One big theory being floated around is that Wilds was the anonymous tipster who called Detective Massey and told police to focus on the ex-boyfriend. Judge Wanda K. Heard gives Syed a life sentence plus 30 years. He'd previously refused to take part in Sarah Koening's podcast, which attempted to retrace the steps taken in. That night they bury Lees body in Leakin Park and leave her car in a residential parking lot. Jay Wilds is a former classmate of Adnan Syed from Baltimore, Maryland. They did not have his permission to record, so we do not hear his voice. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. But this account somewhat differsfrom Jays second police interview, as well as his court testimony. 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. Got called an Oreo. Wilds looms large in Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyders reporting about the trial. Hes 17 at the time but charged with first-degree murder as an adult. I didnt think he was going to go kill her. Though Wilds testimony seemed to have been trusted implicitly by Syeds jury, the Serial podcast shining a light on the key details of Wilds claims led many listeners to believe Wilds was not exactly truthful and that even the slightest bit of questioning could have unraveled his story. We were in the car, we were riding, smoking. I dont necessarily know if he meant to kill Hae before he did it or if it was a sudden moment thing, but looking at his life, from what I saw, he seemed to be far out of his realm when it came to Hae leaving him. Is Riley Keough Singing in Daisy Jones & The Six? She dated Adnan in. in January 1999 . It wasnt just like I was selling a nickel bag here and there. 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. The kind of reporting we do is essential to democracy, but it is not easy, cheap, or profitable. What we do know for sure is this: 18-year-old Lee left her Baltimore high school before 3 p.m. on January 13, 1999, to pick up a cousin. Photography class 9:15-10:40 a.m. English class 10:45 a.m. Adnan calls Jay and offers to lend him his car. It began with his fear of being prosecuted for dealing pot in his high school. Meanwhile,Maryland's highest court denied a new trialfor Syed earlier this month, according to The Associated Press. No. She had been strangled. From your perspective, what was Adnans reputation at Woodlawn? From the mall where he met Syed to the time, and even which friend's homes he visited the day of Lee's murder, there are questionable aspects of his testimony. Dissatisfying is the best word I can use for that, she said in an interview with, But Wilds, who is not heard from outside of taped testimony in either Serial or the HBO documentary, stood by what he told police in a three-part interview with, It helped fan the flames of this story that people had already moved on from, Wilds told, Meanwhile,Maryland's highest court denied a new trialfor Syed earlier this month, according to. "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. The group of people I hung out with were different from the group of people I was from. 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.. I know it didnt happen anywhere other than my grandmothers house. Adnan did not know that Jay had spoken to the police. When did he first talk to you about hurting her? Did you make the anonymous call to the police to tip them off about Adnan? SERIAL EXCLUSIVE: The Teachers of Woodlawn High Speak Out We were kind of surprised because she told us that he was one of her best friends, he said. 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. Another person who received scrutiny in the popular podcast was Syed's former classmate Jay Wilds . Adnan Syed: A Complete Timeline of His Trial, Appeal and - Biography how old was jay wilds in 1999 February 9, 1999 : Lee's body is found. Lees mother, Youn Wha Kim, says she moved to America from Korea to give her kids a better life. He might be needed back in court soon. There was enough doubt for me to want to give this a real close look. Its while hes there that Officer Scott Adcock calls Syed asking if he knew where Lee was. Wilds' testimony in. Lee's body was discovered in Baltimore's Leakin Park by a passerby, partially buried in a shallow grave. Jay told the filmmakers that Adnan showed up at his house and thats where he saw Haes body, not Best Buy as he had previously stated. At the time of her death, she was said to be dating a guy. Jay chose not to be formally interviewed by either This American Life or by Serial host and producer, Sarah Koenig. 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. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, 'Serial' Recap: Everything About Adnan Syed's Case, Who Is Adnan Syed? Adnan says, Just help me dig the hole. And Im still thinking, Inner-city black guy, selling pot to high school kids. The cops are going to fry me. Serial Three seasons, investigation The addictive 2014 podcast that started the global mania for true crime. November 20, 2014: Syeds family gives their first interview, Syeds brother Yusef talks to CBS This Morning and admits he listens to the show. Syed's case has been publicized in the podcast Serial, as well as the HBO true crime documentary The Case Against Adnan Syed. In July 2014, a cold case in Baltimore County was solved when new DNA evidence was tested. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! If Wilds were meeting with the cops before this official interview, its completely possible he would have been coached, as Simpson suggests. Hes gone with Haes car. It was just at the end of my junior year, so about 16. I rode BMX freestyle. Lee disappeared on January 13, 1999. 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 sentenced to life in prison. Im fucking done. And Adnans like, Oh, well, youre not going to help me move her are you? And Im like No, Im not gonna help you move her. He says, Ok, well, Im gonna need you to drive back to her car., Somewhere up around a corner up a hill, parked in a strange neighborhood. He remains calm as handcuffs are being put on him, saying, I'll be alrightI have faith in the Lord. August 19, 2019: The Supreme Court is asked to look at the case. But his case is now being reviewed after featuring in podcast Serial. Jay is a show more content They leave the car at a park-and-ride lot. About a month later, police uncovered her body in a nearby park; an autopsywould later find that she was choked to death. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Jay was pretty much convicted because he told the police he helped dispose of the body. Leesex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, 17, became the primary suspectin her homicide after an anonymous caller told the police to investigate him. The short version: On January 13th, 1999, Lee was supposed to pick up her younger cousin from daycare at 3:15 p.m. She never showed, which immediately set off alarm bells among those who knew her. There is a specific point where I became involved in this. Because at the time I was convinced that I would be going to jail for a long time if he turned me in for drug dealing, especially to high school kids. A second court proceedings begin, the papers say. Years later, now that Wilds testimony has come under fire, even Pusateri doubts his version of events. March 1, 1999: McClain writes Syed a letter. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Syed was 17 at the time that Lee was murdered in January 1999. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. It wasnt until they made it clear they werent interested in my procurement of pot that I began to open up any. I only smoked with him two or three times. It went national, but it was produced in Baltimore. This interview is the first time Jay has spoken publicly about events surrounding Lees death and the trial that ended in Syeds conviction. Undisclosed proffers that Wilds was going to use the reward money to purchase the motorcycle, but Brown says he sold it to someone else. than she was letting on. He said, Im gonna drive back down there [to the grave]. I asked him where were going and he says, Didnt you say everyone gets dumped in Leakin Park?. Jay was likely not given a FULL check because he promised to present facts at Adnan's trial. ', Adnan Syed: A Complete Timeline of His Trial, Appeal and Killing of Hae Min Lee, Photo: Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images, Adnan Syed's high school football photo; Photo: Courtesy of HBO, Youn Kim (r), mother of Hae Min Lee, is escorted from her daughter's Memorial Service by guidance counselor Gwen Kellam, on March 11, 1999, in Baltimore, Maryland; Photo: Elizabeth Malby/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images, Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, changed throughout his interviews and testimony, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. maison d'amelie paris clothing. McClain has fought for Syed's innocence since the case had originally opened. Jay also worked at the Drug Emporium store a short walk from his home. No one is quite sure what they are, but the timing of the taps on the recording seems suspicious. Wilds has stayed private since the 2014 interview. Interview with 'Serial' witness Jay Wilds stirs debate | CNN When I die, my daughter will die with me. 11:15-12:50 p.m. Free period 12:50-2:15 p.m. 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. Hoo-boy, and then theres the motorcycle story that Undisclosed says confirms Wilds was the tipster. Cathy has people over when we get there. how old was jay wilds in 1999 - mathtutorweeks.com Adnan left and then returned to my house several hours later, closer to midnight in his own car. Serial podcast gets a sequel as Jay Wilds breaks silence The 18-year-old high school senior played varsity field hockey and lacrosse and managed the boys' wrestling team, and was due to graduate with honors with the class of 1999. What did you know about Adnan and his relationship with Hae Min Lee? Who Are the Other Two Suspects in the Adnan Syed Case? Jay From "Serial" Gave An Interview That Might Actually Help Adnan Syed He has only given one interview since Syed's conviction. Now, the case: Undisclosed claims Wilds may have wanted the reward money to buy a motorcyle - something police may have known, too. HBO finale reveals Adnan Syed had been offered a recent - Baltimore Sun November 25, 2019: The Supreme Court rejects bid for a new trial, Without comment, the Supreme Court decided not to open a new trial. That would free Wilds to then collect the reward moneyafter detectives officially filed Syeds indictment to CrimeStoppers on October 1stin November. I worked a lot. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Jay Wilds, key witness in Adnan Syed's murder trial, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). You Can Stream Every 'Rocky' Movie Right Now, 'WoF' Fans Say This Is the 'Biggest Choke' on Show, Daisy Jones & the Six Is a Rock Epic in 10 Parts, See Mariska Hargitays Emotional Tribute on IG. Its starting to get dark, so between 3p.m. of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999. But Wilds testimony, even though inconsistent, was corroborated by cellphone recordsas well as his friend Jennifer Pusateris testimony (at least, at first): Pusateris initial statement to the cops said that she received a call from Wilds on Syeds cell; a later statement from her included a bit about Wilds confessing to her that he helped Syed bury Lee. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. What was your life likeduring1998 and 1999? how old was jay wilds in 1999 - brijnaari.com When we were digging the hole, its not like Haes body was just lying next to us. In Adnan's call log was Jay Wilds, who talked to detectives on February 28, 1999. "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. December 29 2014, 12:55 p.m. On Jan. 13, 1999, Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old high school student from Baltimore, went missing. For his testimony, Wilds was given probation instead of a jail sentence for his said involvement in the crime. Police take evidence from the scene and interview several people in an attempt to find the killer. Five Theories About Who Killed Hae Min Lee - Men's Health Lee was last seen alive on Jan. 13, 1999. The podcast alleged that there were inconsistencies between his police statements and the testimony he gave at Syed's second trial. I told [Adnan] that I wouldnt touch her car, or any of her possessions, and I say, Fuck it. 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. Here, we piece together the accounts as they reportedly happened in the 1999 teen murder case: While their relationship was kept a secret because of both religious and cultural differences, classmates Syed and Lee dated in 1998, and broke up in December of that year, according to court records. 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. How Did Jay Wilds Kill Hae - 982 Words | Bartleby Syed and Lee were seniors at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County when Lee disappeared in January 1999. Im gonna kill that bitch, man. Nothing real pointed or anything, not like, I know his name, or I caught her. But I just thought he was just shooting off like everyone else shoots off when theyre mad at their girlfriend. Hae Min Lee's Family Would've OK'd Adnan's Release If Evidence Was Solid Is 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Based on a True Story? Was it in the Best Buy parking lot? We met over the weekend at his two-story suburban home. I follow him halfway back down the hill, park, smoke some cigarettes. Supposed evidence of this relates to how the reward money was paid out. Adnan questioned in the documentary why Jay would leave. Wilds stated that he helped the 17-year-old Syed, who was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, bury her body, which was later discovered in Baltimore's Leakin Park. Serial produced a time line which showed the conflicts betweeen just a few of Jays different versions of eventsfor January 13, 1999. He knew I was afraid of that. They had to chase me around before they could corner me to talk to me, and there came a point where I was just sick of talking to them. He said, Youve gotta help me, or Im gonna tell the cops about you and the weed and all that shit. And then he popped the trunk and I saw Haes body. Wilds stated that he helped the 17-year-old Syed, who was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999, bury her body, which was later discovered in Baltimore's Leakin Park.