The Daily Populous Tuesday September 16th, 2025 day edition
Authored by mississippifreepress.org and submitted by DragonPup

Delta State University staff found the body of Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old student, hanging from a tree in the middle of campus on Monday morning. His death set off a wave of mourning across the university and prompted the cancellation of centennial events for the 100-year-old institution.

Delta State University Police held a press event Monday afternoon, announcing that no foul play is currently suspected in Reed’s death and no threat to campus exists.

“At approximately 7:05 am, University Police was notified of what appeared to be the body of a Black male hanging from a tree (at) central campus near the DSU pickleball course,” said Delta State University Chief of Police Michael Peeler. “We later identified the male subject to be Demartravion Reed of Grenada, Mississippi.”

Delta State University Chief of Police Mike Peeler said no evidence of foul play is currently suspected in Trey Reed’s death. Screenshot courtesy Delta State University

Bolivar County Deputy Coroner Murray Roark told the Mississippi Free Press in a Sep. 15 interview that he assisted his colleague, Deputy Coroner Dwayne Proctor, in examining Reed’s body. Contrary to rumors on social media, Roark said he saw no evidence of broken arms or legs.

“I saw no broken limbs,” he said. Roark declined to elaborate further, stating that the case was still under investigation. “I don’t think I should probably discuss this any further than that, my opinion is that it was self-done, and I have reasons for that.”

Peeler said an investigation into Reed’s death is ongoing and had no further comment on the details of Reed’s passing pending the release of a full autopsy. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the investigation.

After the death of Trey Reed, counselors are available for students affected by the loss, and prayer services for Reed are in the works. Photo courtesy Delta State University

The Delta State University campus was closed on Monday after the discovery. But DSU President Dr. Dan Ennis echoed campus police and said that officials do not believe any threat to students or the community exists, and said that normal operations were expected to return soon.

“I have spoken to Trey’s family, and expressed our heartbreak,” Ennis said at today’s press event, adding that conversations with student leaders over prayer services were ongoing.

Peeler stressed that DSU is “a safe campus.”

“Delta State University is a beautiful place to be,” the campus police chief said. “It’s unfortunate, this loss that comes heavy to our campus.”

deltalitprof on September 16th, 2025 at 04:15 UTC »

That college really seems cursed. Taught there for 14 years. By the end, so many crazy things had happened, on-campus shooting perpetrated by an instructor on a professor then the instructor shooting himself dead the same day (and no report released on what even really happened), terrible car accident killing an education professor, the murder of a music professor by a stepson. A feckless, vindictive, stupid asshole of a maniac president (Bill Laforge) who built himself a palace of a home from alumni money and took the school into financial disaster after a post-COVID downturn in enrollment. A chair of a division letching on his female students. Hiring an unqualified con man life coach dean. Another dean going off the deep end and confining an instructor physically in his office. The decimation of all its programs with special attention on the humanities, which is what gave DSU its identity.

Now this.

Next-Firefighter-753 on September 16th, 2025 at 02:18 UTC »

It says his body was discovered in the middle of campus. Which means they should have some kind of video evidence right?

n4styone on September 16th, 2025 at 02:11 UTC »

Found in the center of campus. Shouldn't there be plenty of cameras around?