Tragedy on campus: Delta State mourns after student Trey Reed found dead, investigation underway
TOI World Desk | Sep 16, 2025, 23:51 IST
Tragedy on campus: Delta State mourns after student Trey Reed found dead, investigation underway
( Image credit : The Economic Times )
Delta State University was rocked by tragedy after 21-year-old Demartravion “Trey” Reed was found hanging from a tree near the campus pickleball courts. As investigators rule out foul play, many remain unconvinced. Classes are suspended, grief grips the campus, and calls for justice grow louder amid fears over campus safety, racial tensions, and unanswered questions.
A quiet Monday morning at Delta State University turned into a day of destruction and unresolved questions after the body of 21-year-old student Demartravion "Trey" Reed was found hanging from a tree near the university's pickleball courts. The discovery shocked the tight-knit university community, and the investigation continues. Class has been suspended, there's an outpouring of emotion and outrage on and off campus.
Reed's corpse was found at around 7:05 a.m. by campus personnel making rounds on the university campus, said the university officials. Emergency personnel were quickly dispatched but Reed was pronounced dead at the scene. His death has since reached national, state, and even local media attention, not only because of its tragic nature but because of the alarm it has created in terms of questions regarding campus security, race relations, and the university's response.
Delta State President Dr. Daniel Ennis addressed the campus later that afternoon in a tearful speech. "We are devastated by this loss. Trey was a dear member of our university community," he said, adding that grief counselors would be available for students and staff to cope with the loss. All classes and activities already planned, including centennial celebrations for the university's 100th anniversary, were postponed. "This is a time for grieving, not celebration," Ennis stated.
Although the local officials and university police have claimed that they have no evidence of foul play yet, the majority of the people in the community are not convinced. Col. Michael Peeler, Director of Public Safety at Delta State, stated that the case is being handled with "utmost seriousness and sensitivity" by investigators. Bolivar County Deputy Coroner Murray Roark did confirm that Reed's body did not exhibit any external physical trauma or fracture bones, and initial findings are revealing no external injury.
Nevertheless, the reasoning hasn't been sufficient for quite a few on social media, even among the student population. Within hours of the news, #JusticeForTrey started trending, as the people especially in Black communities across Mississippi expressed alarm at what they perceive as an ominous, yet historically familiar trend. Some of the posts went so far as to label Reed's killing a "modern-day lynching," invoking the state's long, tortured history of racial violence.
"Hard not to be afraid," said one student, who asked not to be named. "We want to believe that the university is doing everything in their power, but we need solid answers, not promises."
Some students have called for an independent investigation, believing that the university is too near the action. Others are urging national civil rights organizations to get involved. With the uproar increasing, university administrators have maintained that the investigation goes on and that no early conclusions should be made.
Meanwhile, student life hangs on hold. Classes are postponed, and spontaneous vigils for Trey have been erected in front of the student center and near the tree where his body was found. Students gather in small groups, some still stunned, as teachers step discreetly to offer support wherever they can.
For now, that's centered on unearthing what occurred, and on assisting a mourning community that lost a member. Reed, a junior majoring in business, was described by friends as friendly, thoughtful, and super passionate about assisting other individuals. "This shouldn't be the way anyone's story ever ends," said one student who knew her. "And it sure can't be the end of this conversation."
Reed's corpse was found at around 7:05 a.m. by campus personnel making rounds on the university campus, said the university officials. Emergency personnel were quickly dispatched but Reed was pronounced dead at the scene. His death has since reached national, state, and even local media attention, not only because of its tragic nature but because of the alarm it has created in terms of questions regarding campus security, race relations, and the university's response.
Delta State President Dr. Daniel Ennis addressed the campus later that afternoon in a tearful speech. "We are devastated by this loss. Trey was a dear member of our university community," he said, adding that grief counselors would be available for students and staff to cope with the loss. All classes and activities already planned, including centennial celebrations for the university's 100th anniversary, were postponed. "This is a time for grieving, not celebration," Ennis stated.
Although the local officials and university police have claimed that they have no evidence of foul play yet, the majority of the people in the community are not convinced. Col. Michael Peeler, Director of Public Safety at Delta State, stated that the case is being handled with "utmost seriousness and sensitivity" by investigators. Bolivar County Deputy Coroner Murray Roark did confirm that Reed's body did not exhibit any external physical trauma or fracture bones, and initial findings are revealing no external injury.
Nevertheless, the reasoning hasn't been sufficient for quite a few on social media, even among the student population. Within hours of the news, #JusticeForTrey started trending, as the people especially in Black communities across Mississippi expressed alarm at what they perceive as an ominous, yet historically familiar trend. Some of the posts went so far as to label Reed's killing a "modern-day lynching," invoking the state's long, tortured history of racial violence.
"Hard not to be afraid," said one student, who asked not to be named. "We want to believe that the university is doing everything in their power, but we need solid answers, not promises."
Some students have called for an independent investigation, believing that the university is too near the action. Others are urging national civil rights organizations to get involved. With the uproar increasing, university administrators have maintained that the investigation goes on and that no early conclusions should be made.
Meanwhile, student life hangs on hold. Classes are postponed, and spontaneous vigils for Trey have been erected in front of the student center and near the tree where his body was found. Students gather in small groups, some still stunned, as teachers step discreetly to offer support wherever they can.
For now, that's centered on unearthing what occurred, and on assisting a mourning community that lost a member. Reed, a junior majoring in business, was described by friends as friendly, thoughtful, and super passionate about assisting other individuals. "This shouldn't be the way anyone's story ever ends," said one student who knew her. "And it sure can't be the end of this conversation."