Family, community honor Demartravion “Trey” Reed after his death at Delta State University

Hundreds filled a Mississippi church to celebrate Reed’s life, even as skepticism over the authorities’ ruling of suicide fuels growing demands for the truth.

The family of Demartravion “Trey” Reed gathered over the weekend to honor the 21-year-old Delta State University student who was found hanging earlier this month on his college campus.

On Saturday, September 27, friends and family of Reed’s packed the Abundant Life Assembly of The Apostolic Faith church in Grenada, Mississippi, to honor him in tributes, poems, and song during an emotional and regal funeral.

With many dressed in hues of blue, the church was standing room only, and attendees included the superintendent of the Grenada school district and the president of Delta State University, who said “3,000 hearts broke” the day Reed’s body was discovered on campus.

Reed’s sister gave stirring remarks describing her brother as her “rock.”

“Though miles may separate us and time may keep us apart, know that you’re always close to my heart,” she said in a video from the service’s livestream.

“Your laughter, your wisdom, your strength; they are all pillars of my life, and in moments of joy and sorrow, you’ve been my rock, my confidante, my guide in life,” she continued. “Your presence is a treasure I cherish dearly, and in your absence, I feel a void that only your love can fill. Though words may fail to express the depth of affection, let them serve as a testament to the bond we share, a bond unbreakable.”

She added, “Until we meet again, know that you are missed and you are loved, and you’re always in my thoughts with all my love.”

Reed, who had been a computer science major, was found dead on the morning of Monday, September 15, hanging from a tree on Delta State’s campus. Authorities quickly ruled the case a suicide, but the decision has been met with skepticism from his family and community members. Conflicting reports about the circumstances of his death — including the condition in which his body was discovered and possible confrontations he may have had the night before — have fueled growing calls for answers.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is now representing the family, and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s “Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative” has pledged to fund a private autopsy.

In the weeks since, students and supporters have held vigils on campus and in Reed’s hometown, lighting candles and demanding a thorough investigation. 

“Trey’s death evoked the collective memory of a community that has suffered a historic wound over many, many years and many, many deaths,” civil rights attorney Crump said in a statement. “Peace will come only by getting to the truth.”