Demartravion “Trey” Reed, 21, a Black student from Grenada, Mississippi, was found hanging from a tree on the Delta State University campus early Monday morning near the pickleball courts. University staff discovered his body at around 7:05 a.m., and the Bolivar County Coroner’s Office retrieved the remains while authorities launched an investigation.
Officials, including campus police, the Bolivar County Coroner, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and local law enforcement, have so far said there is no evidence of foul play. Preliminary examinations reportedly found no broken bones, lacerations, contusions, or other injuries that would suggest an assault, though further testing and an autopsy are pending.
Reed’s family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, demanding transparency and an independent autopsy. The death has left students and community members shaken, with many voicing fear and concern given Mississippi’s history of racial violence. The university canceled classes and several centennial events, while also offering counseling and support services to help students and faculty cope with the tragedy.
