CLEVELAND, Miss. (AP) — Police in Bolivar County are awaiting autopsy results for Trey Reed, a Black student found hanging from a tree at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. The case has ignited strong emotions in a state with a history of racist violence.
The 21-year-old student was found near the campus pickleball courts early Monday. While police have said they saw no evidence of foul play, his family is demanding answers and has hired prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
ORIGINAL: Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old student at Delta State University, was found hanging from a tree in the center of campus on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. Photo courtesy Demartravion Reed’s Facebook page ” data-image-caption=”
Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old student at Delta State University, was found hanging from a tree in the center of campus on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. Photo courtesy Demartravion Reed’s Facebook page
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?fit=780%2C519&ssl=1″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?resize=780%2C519&ssl=1″ alt=”Demartravion Reed standing outside by greenery” class=”wp-image-337839″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Demartravion-Reed_courtesy-Trey-Reed-FB-1024×682.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old student at Delta State University, was found hanging from a tree in the center of campus on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. Photo courtesy Demartravion Reed’s Facebook page
Campus police Chief Michael Peeler released little new information about the investigation at a news conference, calling the death an “isolated incident” and insisting there were no active threats to students and faculty.
“Out of respect for those grieving, we ask for continued patience and compassion as this investigation proceeds,” Peeler told reporters at the Delta State campus.
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The chief state medical examiner was conducting an autopsy Wednesday, and Peeler said preliminary findings should be released in a day or two.
Peeler said the evidence includes video footage, but he would not say what it shows and where it came from, citing the ongoing investigation.