Family says police first told them Delta State student Trey Reed died in dorm, not on campus tree

Family of Black Delta State student found hanging from a tree says police initially misled them about where his body was discovered.

The family of De’Martravion “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old Delta State University student who was found dead on campus last week, is demanding answers after authorities initially gave them conflicting information about his death.

Reed was discovered hanging from a tree near the school’s pickleball courts on the morning of Sept. 15. But according to the family’s attorney, Vanessa J. Jones, officials first told Reed’s loved ones that he died inside his dorm room.

“The Grenada County Sheriff’s Department informed the family that Trey was found dead in his dorm room, in his bed,” Jones told the Mississippi Free Press.

Reed’s grandfather, J.B. Reed, echoed that account in an interview with ABC affiliate WAPT, saying a member of the Bolivar County Sheriff’s Department told him it was a suicide. “He didn’t even say possible suicide, he said suicide,” the elder Reed recalled.

At a Sept. 17 press conference, Delta State’s Director of Public Safety Mike Peeler denied knowledge of those calls. He confirmed, however, that investigators have obtained video evidence connected to the case but did not share what the footage shows.

Jones stressed that the family is asking the university to release surveillance footage to the public.

“The family does not know exactly what happened on Sept. 15, 2025. We are seeking answers,” Jones said. “If this young man was on the campus of Delta State University with all these cameras and all this modern technology, from the moment he left his dorm room or entered the campus, there should be surveillance of all his actions. That’s what we want.”

The Bolivar County Coroner’s Office previously stated there was “no evidence to suggest the individual was physically attacked before his death.” Still, the discrepancy over the initial account of where Reed’s body was found has only deepened the family’s concerns.

As previously reported by theGrio, nationally recognized civil rights attorney Ben Crump is now representing the Reed family. In a statement, he described Reed as “full of promise and warmth, deeply loved and respected by all who knew him.”

“His family and the campus community deserve a full, independent investigation to uncover the truth about what happened,” Crump said. “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 Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office, Grenada Police Department, and Delta State University have not yet released additional details.