Its centennial would be a period of pride, a century of history defined by joy and legacy. But now, after the shocking discovery of a body that has left Cleveland, Mississippi, and much of the globe in grief, that euphoric sentiment is receding as fast as it began.
A Body Found in the Heart of Campus
Sunday, Delta State staff found the body of a student hanging from a rope around a tree closest to the Court of Governors’ residence halls. What would be a weekend of homecoming celebrations immediately became a crime scene as University Police and city law enforcement descended. In official releases, the university reported:
“Earlier today, Delta State University staff discovered a deceased individual on campus. University Police and local authorities were immediately notified and are conducting an active investigation… Our community is deeply saddened by their loss. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends impacted.”
He was later identified by relatives and friends on Facebook as Trey Reed of Grenada, Mississippi. The agony in those words, the terror of his final moments, hung more heavily than could any centennial banner.
The Family’s Appeal
The Reed family, stunned with unspeakable loss, appealed to the public for what: compassion. Ashleigh Walls, representing the family, wrote on Facebook:
“On behalf of my family, I ask that you please not share the very graphic video of Trey. For some of you it’s information, entertainment even but for us it’s a living nightmare. At this time we ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate through this difficult time.”
The Campus Response
All centennial activities were cancelled by Delta State. The O.W. Reily Counseling Center counselors became also available to students, faculties, and employees, recognizing that grief, confusion, and fear now fill campus air. What was meant to be a season of reflection now became a season of reckoning.
Social Media Uproar and Questions
When the news of Trey’s death spread, there was outrage around the web. The conditions of his death remain unknown, yet imagery is too real, too historical, and too heavy for too many to take as coincidence.
One of them penned: “A modern lynching at Delta State???? Man…. “
Another tweeted: “Somebody was hung at Delta State… Why is it quiet??!”
Others demanded verification: “Breaking: A Black male college student found hanging on Delta State Univ. campus in Mississippi. Residents enraged after being told he had broken legs. Police probing, citing a suspected suicide.”
It was outrage, real outrage, in the Black online community: “There’s a Black man ‘hanging’ from a tree at Delta State University in Mississippi and they’re trying to pretend like it was suicide…”
These aren’t tweets. They’re reminders of a history that remains seared in the memory of Black America. In many people’s minds, Trey’s killing isn’t a tragedy, it’s a haunting.
