A family in Mississippi is seeking answers after their son, a black college student named Demartravion “Trey” Reed, was found hanging from a tree on the campus of Delta State University. The university’s police chief says Reed died by suicide, but concerns are growing as the case brings up painful memories of the state’s history of racist violence.
Reed’s family has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump to investigate the death and has called for an independent autopsy. Meanwhile, a local congressman is calling for the FBI to look into the case. The university has resumed operations but continues to mourn the loss of their student.
The case has drawn attention online and has sparked concerns about racial violence in the US. Local authorities say there’s no evidence of foul play, but Reed’s family and some civil rights groups are skeptical, citing the state’s history of racist terror.
As news of Reed’s death spreads, many are drawing comparisons to another infamous lynching case in Mississippi – that of Emmett Till, whose body was found with severe injuries 70 years ago. The NAACP has weighed in, saying it’s unlikely a black person would hang themselves from a tree.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/17/delta-state-university-mississippi-hanging-ben-crump