Delta State Student Trey Reed Death Ruled Suicide by Mississippi Medical Examiner

An autopsy by Mississippi's state medical examiner concluded that Demartravion "Trey" Reed, a 21-year-old Black student found hanging from a tree at Delta State University, died by suicide, with no evidence of foul play, consistent with earlier findings by the Bolivar County coroner. Reed's body was discovered near the campus pickleball courts, sparking strong emotions and concern within the university community and the state, which has a history of racist violence. Despite the autopsy ruling, Reed's family and their lawyers, including civil rights attorney Ben Crump, have called for an independent autopsy and full transparency regarding security camera footage and other evidence. The police investigation is ongoing, with investigatory files shared with the FBI and federal prosecutors, and toxicology results are still pending. University officials and law enforcement have stated there is no evidence of an ongoing threat to students and faculty. U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson has also called for an FBI investigation into the case.