Noted civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been hired to lead the civil rights investigation into Trey Reed's death.

JACKSON, MS ‒ The family of a Black student whose body was found hanging from a tree on a university campus in the Mississippi Delta called for transparency in the death investigation on Sept. 16 after recent statements in the case sparked anger and skepticism on social media.

The body of Demartravion "Trey" Reed, 21, was found hanging from a tree in the middle of Delta State University's campus behind pickleball courts at around 7:05 a.m. local time on Sept. 15, according to university police. While police said there was no evidence of foul play and ruled the death a suicide, classes and events scheduled for the school's centennial celebrations were canceled for the day.

The investigation into Reed's death remains ongoing, and university police have requested assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation as well as the local police department and sheriff's office, according to Delta State Police Chief Michael Peeler.

Following the incident, rumors circulated online questioning the circumstances surrounding Reed's death, which were disputed by Bolivar County Coroner Randolph Seals Jr. During a news conference on Sept. 16, attorney Vanessa J. Jones said her firm is representing Reed's family and is initiating its own investigation into his death, beginning with an independent autopsy.

"We will seek answers independently from Delta State University and from the coroner's office and, if need be, independent from the state coroner's office because we need answers as to what happened to Trey Reed," Jones said. "Were there cameras? There should have been cameras at the university that could easily enlighten us to what happened in the early morning of Sept. 15, 2025."

Jones added that days before the incident, Reed had been with his family in his hometown. The family, who described Reed as "joyful" and "loving," is now seeking answers about his death, according to Jones.

"We're not going to point fingers at anybody," Jones said. "We're not going to call anybody any names. All we want is answers."

Local coroner disputes claims that the student was found with broken limbs

Delta State University President Dan Ennis and Peeler both said during a news conference on Sept. 15 that there was no evidence of foul play in the incident.

Rumors circulating on social media alleged that Reed had two broken legs and other injuries that would have prevented him from hanging himself. Those speculations were later disputed in a statement late on Sept. 15 by Seals.

According to the statement, the Bolivar County Coroner's Office was notified by the Cleveland Police Department at 7:32 a.m. local time about an "unresponsive individual" at Delta State University. The coroner's office responded to the scene at 8:08 a.m. and found the "subject hanging from a tree," the statement added.

"At this current time, we are conducting a thorough death investigation," the statement continued. "Based on the preliminary examination, we can confirm that the deceased did not suffer any lacerations, contusions, compound fractures, broken bones, or injuries consistent with an assault. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest the individual was physically attacked before his death."

According to the coroner's office, Reed's body will be transported to the Mississippi State Crime Lab for an autopsy.

In a video posted Sept. 16 to the university's Facebook page, Ennis said the university was resuming operations while students, faculty, and staff continued to mourn.

"We know that none of us will ever fully heal this wound, but we have to go on and go on as best as we can," Ennis said in the video. "We ask for your continued prayers, support, and we ask for your patience."

Prominent civil rights attorney leading probe into death

In a statement on Sept. 16, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said he was retained by Reed's family and would work with a "number of civil rights organizations to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation."

Crump noted that students and family members were "deeply concerned" by the death of Reed and are demanding answers.

"Trey Reed was a young man full of promise and warmth, deeply loved and respected by all who knew him," Crump said. "His family and the campus community deserve a full, independent investigation to uncover the truth about what happened. We cannot accept vague conclusions when so many questions remain. I stand with this family, and I will lead a team of civil rights leaders and organizations in pursuing transparency and answers for Trey’s family."

The independent investigation comes amid public outrage and skepticism over the incident, including from the NAACP ‒ the oldest civil rights organization in the United States.

"You’d have to excuse our skepticism amidst growing racially motivated violence targeted at our communities across this nation," the NAACP said in a social media post on Sept. 16, with a picture that read, "A man was lynched yesterday."

"So while we await more formal autopsy reports and information, we offer this piece of history with a level of certainty: Our people have not historically hung ourselves from trees," the post further stated.

Delta State University, located in Cleveland, Mississippi, near the Arkansas state line, had over 2,600 students enrolled during the 2024-2025 school year. Of those students, about 42% are Black, according to the university. Cleveland is just west of the county and sites associated with the lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Family of Mississippi university student found hanged pursue independent autopsy

Reporting by Pam Dankins and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY NETWORK / Mississippi Clarion Ledger

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