Reed, a 21-year-old Black student from Grenada, was found hanging from a tree on the Cleveland campus early Monday morning. While law enforcement officials have said there is no evidence of foul play, Mississippi’s long history of lynching Black people has fueled rumors and speculation online that Reed may have been the victim of a hate crime.
At a press conference Wednesday, Delta State President Dan Ennis said the university is mindful of how the circumstances of Reed’s death have further complicated how the campus and community are being impacted.
“I, we recognize that this is not only about facts, it's about emotions and it's about feelings and the way this loss and how it was discovered affects people's lives,” Ennis said.
University Police Chief Michael Peeler said Reed’s body was sent to the state medical examiner, Staci Turner, for a full autopsy, with preliminary results expected within 48 hours. He emphasized the campus remains safe.
“Due to the support of the state and local law enforcement and the increased law enforcement presence here at Delta State, there are currently no active threats to the campus,” Peeler said.
Still, Reed’s family has voiced frustration over what they describe as a lack of transparency. Family attorney Vanessa Jones said relatives were learning more from media coverage than from the university or local officials. She also demanded the release of surveillance footage from campus security cameras.
“From the moment he left his dorm room or entered that campus, there should be surveillance of all of his actions … bring the surveillance, bring the cameras, so that we'll know exactly what happened to Trey Reed,” Jones said.
Ennis said the university is legally obligated to communicate only with the two people Reed listed as his emergency contacts, a stance that he acknowledged has created further tension with some of Reed’s relatives. He insisted the university is cooperating with law enforcement and focusing on supporting its students.
Reed’s death has also drawn national attention. Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi’s lone Democratic congressman, called on the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI to open a federal civil rights investigation.
“It is always a tragedy when a young life is cut short. While the details of this case are still emerging, we cannot ignore Mississippi’s painful history of lynching and racial violence against African Americans,” Thompson said in a press release. “Federal resources are critical in cases like this. The FBI has the tools and experience necessary to conduct a thorough, unbiased inquiry, and time is of the essence.”
National civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has represented families in several high-profile police and racial violence cases, also announced he is working with Reed’s relatives. Crump demanded that all video evidence be shown to the family and said they will commission an independent autopsy.
“Trey’s family deserves answers they can trust. We cannot accept rushed conclusions when the stakes are this high,” Crump said in a statement. “By demanding the family be allowed to view any video and commissioning an independent autopsy, we are taking every step to uncover the truth about what happened to Trey.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center added its voice Wednesday, citing not only Reed’s death but also that of Cory Zukatis, a homeless man found hanging in Vicksburg within hours of Reed’s case. SPLC Interim President and CEO Bryan Fair said both incidents must be fully investigated.
“The imagery of these two deaths immediately evokes the collective consciousness of those who are deeply aware of Mississippi’s troubled past,” Fair said. “By committing to a thorough investigation and providing transparency around these tragedies, local leaders and law enforcement can bring a deeper sense of peace and comfort during a time of tragedy.”
