Black Student Found Hanging Took His Own Life: Autopsy

UPDATE Sep 19, 2025 8:13 AM CDT

Trey Reed took his own life on the campus of Mississippi's Delta State University, Cleveland Chief of Police Travis Tribble now says, after the 21-year-old Black student's body was found hanging from a tree there on Monday, report the Mississippi Free Press and the AP. A statement announcing the manner of Reed's death as suicide by hanging cited autopsy results, with final toxicology results due within a month or so. The state medical examiner's findings line up with those of the Bolivar County coroner, who could see no evidence of foul play. Reed's family are pushing for a probe into his death amid lynching rumors and will be pursuing an independent autopsy and investigation.

Sep 18, 2025 3:30 AM CDT

The family of a Black student found hanging from a tree on the campus of Delta State University in Mississippi has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump to seek further answers about his death, the Guardian reports. Demartravion "Trey" Reed's body was discovered Monday near the campus pickleball courts. Police say the initial evidence points to suicide, with no signs of foul play, and preliminary examinations found no injuries suggesting an assault. However, the family's legal team plans to pursue an independent autopsy amid ongoing skepticism in the community.

Crump called Reed "full of promise and warmth" and insisted on a comprehensive, transparent investigation, emphasizing that "vague conclusions" are unacceptable while questions linger. The tragic incident has brought back difficult memories of racial violence in Mississippi and other Southern states during the Jim Crow era, given the location's proximity to the site where Emmett Till was lynched in 1955. Speculation that Reed was lynched has grown online, NBC News reports. The university's police chief says "there are videos" that are being investigated, CNN reports.

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Congressman Bennie Thompson has asked the FBI to investigate, citing the agency's resources for an "unbiased inquiry." The FBI says it's aware of the case and ready to step in if federal violations are suspected. The NAACP, echoing the community's mistrust, pointed to the historical context of Black Americans found hanging from trees and cautioned against dismissing concerns quickly. "Our people have not historically hung ourselves from trees," the organization says in a statement. Delta State President Dan Ennis acknowledged the deep impact on campus, canceling classes and centennial celebrations, while promising continued cooperation with investigators.