A 21-year-old student, Demartravion “Trey” Reed, was found hanging from a tree on September 15, 2025, at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi.
The investigation is going on, but the deputy coroner and campus police chief have stated that there is no evidence of foul play at this time. Despite the tragic event, officials are stressing that the campus is safe.
Michael Peeler, the police chief, said, “As of this time, there’s no evidence of foul play.” He reassured the community, “I just want to confirm this is a safe campus. Delta State University is a beautiful place to be. It’s just unfortunate, this loss that comes heavy to our campus.”
The campus community is deeply saddened by the loss. All the classes and scheduled events were cancelled on Monday. The university has announced support services and counselling for staff and students.
Daniel J. Ennis, the President of Delta State University, gave a statement:
“Our community is deeply saddened by this loss, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to families and friends and all those who were impacted by Trey’s loss.” He also stated, “I’ve spoken to Trey’s family and expressed our heartbreak.”
The student’s family and the university have requested privacy and asked people to stop sharing graphic videos of the scene that have been posted online.
A family member said, “On behalf of my family, I ask that you please not share the very graphic video of Trey. For some of you, it’s information, entertainment even, but for us it’s a living nightmare.”
Delta State University is recognised for its academic programs in the sciences, arts, business, and nursing.