The family of Demartravion “Trey” Reed is raising serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the 21-year-old student’s death at Delta State University.
Police announced Monday that Reed’s body was discovered hanging from a tree in the middle of campus, and that foul play is not suspected. But according to the family’s attorney, Vanessa Jones, law enforcement initially gave Reed’s relatives a very different account, telling them he was found dead in his dorm room.
Jones told the Mississippi Free Press that the Reed family has been left in the dark and is learning details from the media rather than directly from authorities. She says the Grenada County Sheriff’s Department visited Reed’s family home and informed them he had died in bed at his dorm. Later, they discovered through news reports that he was found outside, hanging from a tree.
The Grenada County Sheriff’s Department has denied giving misleading information, insisting they never specified where Reed’s body was found. University officials also maintain that Delta State leadership has communicated with the family, though Jones says the school has yet to reach out directly.
Authorities claim they have campus video of Reed prior to his death, though what the footage shows has not been made public. Jones says she intends to review the recordings.
Bolivar County Coroner Murray Roark reported that Reed’s body showed no visible signs of assault — no cuts, bruises, or fractures. Campus police say the Mississippi State Medical Examiner will conduct a full autopsy, while Jones has called for an independent review.
The Reed family says they are still waiting for clear answers about what happened to Trey and why they were not informed accurately from the beginning.