Cause of death of Delta State student found hanged released

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Mississippi’s medical examiner’s office announced the cause of death for De’Martravion "Trey" Reed, the Delta State University student whose body was found hanging from a tree earlier this week.

Reed died by suicide, officials said Thursday.

The police department in Cleveland, where the campus is located, announced the findings in a news release. It said the autopsy results were consistent with a preliminary examination of the body by the Bolivar County coroner, which found no evidence of foul play.

Results of toxicology tests are still pending and could take weeks.

Reed’s body found

The backstory:

Reed’s body was discovered by a staff member early Monday near the campus pickleball courts.

Delta State Police Chief Michael Peeler said there was also no evidence of an ongoing threat to students and faculty. He told reporters Monday the death investigation was being assisted by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation as well as local police and sheriff’s deputies.

Public outrage

Local perspective:

The 21-year-old student's death, discovered early Monday, immediately ignited strong emotions in a Southern state with a history of racist violence.

Even before the autopsy results were announced, the student's family and their lawyers had called for an independent autopsy and implored police to show them any security camera recordings and other video gathered as evidence. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has said he will lead an independent investigation.

The statement said police are still investigating the student's death and that evidentiary files in the case are being shared with the FBI and federal prosecutors.