Demartravion “Trey” Reed was just 21, a junior at Delta State University, when he was found hanging from a tree close to the campus pickleball courts on September 15, 2025. A few days later, on the 18th, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office wrapped up their autopsy and called it a suicide.
But Reed’s family isn’t buying that not at all. They’ve been getting mixed messages and what feels like half the story about how he died. So they’ve brought in big-name civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, and even got backing from Colin Kaepernick, the ex-NFL quarterback turned activist. His Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative is covering the cost for a second, independent autopsy to dig deeper.
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Now the whole thing’s caught the eye of federal authorities, and it’s got folks in Cleveland, Mississippi, reeling. It stirs up all those ugly memories of the state’s past with racial violence, you know?
Friends remember Trey as this genuinely nice guy kind-hearted, always thinking of others, and really motivated. He was discovered outside that morning, and right away, local cops and the Bolivar County coroner said there were no obvious signs he’d been attacked.
By the 18th, Cleveland Police made it official suicide, based on the state’s findings. They’re still waiting on toxicology results, though, which could drag on for weeks.
Weirdly, the same day Trey was found, another guy a white man was discovered hanging nearby, which has only ramped up the unease and rumors swirling around town.
The state examiner stuck with the suicide ruling. Bolivar County Coroner Randolph Seals Jr. told the press they didn’t see any cuts, bruises, fractures, or anything pointing to foul play.
That said, the report isn’t fully done yet. Tox tests are pending, and they’ve passed along evidence to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for a closer look.
Trey’s family says they were initially told he was found in his dorm room, but then officials corrected that to the outdoor spot near the courts. At a vigil, one relative put it simply:
“We just want the truth. We deserve to know what really happened to Trey.”
Ben Crump, speaking for the family, hammered home the point:
“They’ve been fed inconsistent and spotty details about Trey’s death. Full transparency is the least they deserve, starting with that independent autopsy.”
Kaepernick’s initiative, which kicked off in 2022, provides free second autopsies by certified experts. It’s all about giving families a shot at challenging official stories, especially in cases where trust in the system is already thin.
In his statement, Kaepernick said:
“Families like Trey Reed’s shouldn’t have to carry this weight of uncertainty alone. Independent autopsies open the door to real answers.”
The second exam will get underway once the state releases Trey’s body.
This whole tragedy hits hard in Mississippi, where history books and groups like the Equal Justice Initiative record over 600 lynching’s of Black people from 1877 to 1950. Seeing a young Black student hanging from a tree in 2025? It rips open those scars for a lot of people.
Even Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democrat from Mississippi, is pushing for a federal probe, pointing straight to the state’s dark racial history.
Experts in civil rights point out that situations like this underline why transparency matters so much in death probes. Second autopsies aren’t rare when families feel something’s off.
Once the tox report drops and the independent autopsy wraps, we might get a better sense of what happened. Feds are on it too.
For Trey’s family, though, this isn’t just about one case. In their words:
“We want justice for Trey, but also for every family who’s ever been brushed off with ‘just accept it,’ even when their gut says otherwise.”
If you or someone close is going through a tough time, reach out. In the U.S., call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for help anytime, confidentially.
