By Dr. Duvalier J. Malone, Contributor
On September 15, 2025, the body of 21-year-old Demartravion “Trey” Reed was found hanging from a tree on the campus of Delta State University. Authorities quickly told the public that “no foul play is suspected.” For those of us who love Mississippi and have fought for its progress, the news landed like a gut punch. A Black college student – full of youth and promise – was discovered hanging in 2025? It’s a scenario that evokes the darkest chapters of our history, yet officials were quick to call it an apparent suicide with “no foul play” suspected. As a civil rights advocate and native son of Mississippi, I cannot accept that explanation at face value – not without transparency, not without evidence, and not without a fight for the truth.
For anyone who knows Mississippi’s history, that answer is not enough.
The Weight of History
A Black man found hanging from a tree in Mississippi calls to mind too many painful chapters. From the lynching of Emmett Till to the murder of Medgar Evers, racial violence has often been dismissed or ignored by authorities.
In recent decades, multiple Black men in Mississippi have been found hanging from trees, often ruled suicides, but their families remain unconvinced. In 2018, 21-year-old Willie Andrew Jones Jr. was found hanging in Scott County. Officials said it was suicide, but years later, a judge awarded his family $11.4 million in a wrongful-death suit, proof that official stories can be wrong.
A Distrust Made Worse
Trey’s family says they were first told he was found “unconscious in his bed.” Only later did they learn through news reports that he had been discovered hanging outside.
That kind of misinformation destroys trust. It also fuels rumors, including false claims online that Trey’s limbs were broken, which the coroner has refuted. Officials must understand that when communication fails, speculation fills the void.
The Bolivar County Coroner’s Office has said a preliminary exam showed no broken bones or signs of an assault, and that Trey’s body is at the Mississippi State Crime Lab for a full autopsy. But until the final results are released, the public deserves transparency.
Not the Only Case
Trey’s death is part of a troubling pattern.
- In 2022, Rasheem Carter went missing after telling his mother he was being targeted. A month later, his remains were found in a wooded area, his head severed. The medical examiner ruled the cause and manner of death undetermined. His family still has no closure.
- Just a day after Trey’s death, 36-year-old Corey Zukatis, a homeless man from Brandon, was found hanging near Ameristar Casino in Vicksburg. Authorities confirmed his death, but no cause or manner has been released.
From Rasheem Carter to Trey Reed to Corey Zukatis, families are left with grief, and communities are left with questions.
The Need for Federal Oversight
Trey’s family has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has called for transparency. Congressman Bennie Thompson has also asked the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI to investigate.
If there is nothing to hide, no one should fear federal involvement. If something is hidden, federal oversight is the only way to uncover it.
Prayer Is Not Enough
Delta State canceled classes, postponed its centennial events, and opened its chapel for prayer. These gestures matter. But prayer without accountability is insufficient. Mourning without answers is not enough.
The university community deserves to know whether the campus is safe. Trey’s family deserves to know exactly what happened to their son.
A Call to Action
If these deaths are suicides, we must confront the mental health crisis crushing our young Black men. If they are not, then justice must be swift and undeniable. Either way, silence is not an option. Trey Reed was not just a name in a headline. He was a son, a student, a young man with a future waiting for him. His life mattered. And so did Rasheem Carter’s. And so does Corey Zukatis’s. Their families deserve more than excuses. Their communities deserve more than empty words. I refuse to sit quietly while history repeats itself in my home state. I am calling on every reader, every student, every parent, every leader: demand transparency, demand accountability, demand the truth. Because until we know exactly what happened to Trey Reed—and to every Black man whose death has been brushed aside—we cannot rest. I will not rest. And neither should you.
Dr. Duvalier J. Malone is a Mississippi native, civil rights advocate, and author of “Those Who Give A Damn: A Manual for Making a Difference.”
