The death of 21-year-old Delta State University student Demartravion “Trey” Reed has turned into something bigger than tragedy. It’s turned into a fight for truth. And the way officials handled it? Straight-up disrespectful.
What the Family Was Told vs. What Really Happened
On the morning of September 15, deputies from the Grenada County Sheriff’s Department came to Trey’s family’s house and told them he was found dead in his dorm room bed. That’s how they thought their son passed.
But a few hours later, Delta State’s own Chief of Police, Michael Peeler, told the world something completely different. Trey was found hanging from a tree in the middle of campus at 7:05 a.m.
Imagine being Trey’s parents, finding out your child wasn’t in his dorm room like police told you, but hanging outside on campus… from the news. Not from the people who are supposed to protect and serve. That’s not just sloppy communication. That’s trauma on top of trauma.
A Family Fighting Back
Now Trey’s family isn’t just grieving, they’re demanding answers. Their lawyer, Vanessa J. Jones, called out both the university and local officials for failing to tell the family the truth.
“We want answers, and we’re going to launch our own independent investigation to get those answers,” Jones said. “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.”
They’re pushing for the release of all campus surveillance footage and have already ordered an independent autopsy.
Ben Crump Steps In
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who’s been on the frontlines of some of the biggest justice fights of our generation, has now joined Trey’s family. He made it clear: vague explanations and contradictions aren’t cutting it.
“We cannot accept vague conclusions when so many questions remain,” Crump said.
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson has also stepped in, asking the Department of Justice and FBI to investigate.
Rumors and Pushback
Since Trey’s death, rumors have been flying, people saying he had broken bones and other injuries that didn’t look like suicide. Bolivar County Coroner Randolph Seals Jr. shut that down, saying a preliminary check showed no signs of assault: no fractures, no lacerations, no contusions. He confirmed Trey’s body was being sent to the Mississippi Crime Lab for an official autopsy.
