The mysterious death of 21-year-old Demartravion “Trey” Reed is stirring national attention after his family claims police misled them about how he died. According to Mississippi authorities, Reed’s body was discovered hanging from a tree in the center of Delta State University’s campus on Monday. Police announced no foul play was suspected.
But Trey’s family says that’s not the story they were told. Their attorney, Vanessa Jones, told the Mississippi Free Press that officers from the Grenada County Sheriff’s Department came to the family’s home earlier that morning and informed them Trey had been found dead in his dorm bed.
Hours later, the family learned from media reports that Trey’s body had actually been found outside, hanging from a tree. Authorities have denied the family’s claim, insisting they never specified the exact location of Trey’s body.
Attorney Jones argues that officials at both the university and in Bolivar County have left Trey’s family “in the dark,” forcing them to rely on journalists for updates. She also alleges that university leaders still haven’t directly contacted the family, despite Delta State’s president, Dr. Dan Ennis, insisting otherwise.
Jones is now pushing for access to campus surveillance footage that police say exists, though they haven’t disclosed what it shows. The Bolivar County coroner confirmed Trey’s body showed no visible injuries such as cuts, fractures, or bruises that would indicate an assault.
A full autopsy is being conducted by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner, but Jones says the family will pursue an independent autopsy to ensure transparency. The contradictions between police statements, media reports, and the family’s account have fueled growing public concern. With questions mounting about what really happened to Trey Reed, calls for accountability, answers, and justice are only getting louder.
