Contested death (2000 to present)

Demartravion “Trey” Reed

Ruled suicide, disputedSep 15, 2025 · Age 21 · Cleveland, MS

Who Demartravion was

Demartravion "Trey" Reed was 21 and from Grenada, Mississippi. He graduated from Grenada High School and was a freshman at Delta State University, about a month into classes.

His uncle, Jerry Reed, describes him as respectful and ambitious, a young man who always said he had a plan for his life. He talked about wanting to be a truck driver and wanting to go to college.

Trey was close to his grandparents. His grandmother, Sharon Candy Tillman, remembers their last phone call: he was in a good mood, talked about a paper he was writing for class, made plans to come home and stay with her when his sister visited, and told her he loved her. That same day he called his grandfather just to check on him.

Portrait of Demartravion “Trey” Reed — Photo from Clark-Williams Funeral Home · where it was shared

In the words of those who knew them

“He always told me he had a plan for his life.”Jerry Reed, his uncle · source
“He said, 'Grandma?' And I said, 'Yeah, Trey?' He said, 'I love you.'”Sharon Candy Tillman, his grandmother, to the Mississippi Free Press · source
“We just want to know what really happened.”Sharon Candy Tillman, his grandmother · source

What happened

Demartravion "Trey" Reed, 21, a Delta State University freshman from Grenada, was found dead at a tree near the pickleball courts on the Cleveland, Mississippi, campus at 7:05 a.m. on Sept. 15, 2025. Football players on a morning run found him and alerted campus police. That afternoon, university police chief Mike Peeler said there was "no evidence of foul play," and Bolivar County Coroner Rudolph Seals said there was no evidence he'd been physically attacked.

On Sept. 16, the family retained attorney Ben Crump and said it would seek an independent autopsy, and U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson called for a federal investigation. On Sept. 18, Cleveland Police Chief Travis Tribble announced that the state medical examiner's autopsy ruled the death a suicide. Police said all files had been turned over to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for review.

A pathologist funded by Colin Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative shared preliminary findings with the family by Zoom in October 2025, but said he couldn't reach a final determination without evidence the state had kept, relatives told the Mississippi Free Press. In April 2026, the family said its legal representation had gone silent. In July, relatives told the Free Press they'd never received a final report and hadn't heard from Crump's office since Jan. 1. They understand Cleveland police are waiting on that report. Trey was named in a September 2026 letter from House Democrats to the Justice Department and FBI. No federal findings have been reported.

The case

Where found: Tree on Delta State University's campus
Official finding: Suicide (state autopsy released Sept 18, 2025; Bolivar County coroner and state medical examiner found no foul play)
Time to finding: 3 days from discovery to the state autopsy finding
Investigation: Cleveland Police. The family understands the department's final determination is waiting on the independent autopsy.
Family position: The family questions the ruling. An independent autopsy produced only preliminary findings in October 2025; the family says no final report was ever shared and their former legal representation stopped responding. As of October 2026 they were still waiting.
Public evidence: State autopsy. Independent autopsy results never released to the family, per the family.
Federal review: State investigative materials were turned over to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office; no federal findings reported. Named in Pressley letter to DOJ/FBI (Sept 2026).
Last verified: 2026-10-18

Sources

Record history

Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
Record updated
- What happened updated
- What happened sources updated
Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
Portrait added (Photo from Clark-Williams Funeral Home)
Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
Record updated
- Official finding: Suicide (state autopsy released Sept 18, 2025; Bolivar County coroner and state medical examiner found no foul play)
- Time to finding: 3 days from discovery to the state autopsy finding
- Investigation: Cleveland Police. The family understands the department's final determination is waiting on the independent autopsy.
- Family position: The family questions the ruling. An independent autopsy produced only preliminary findings in October 2025; the family says no final report was ever shared and their former legal representation stopped responding. As of October 2026 they were still waiting.
- Federal review: State investigative materials were turned over to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office; no federal findings reported. Named in Pressley letter to DOJ/FBI (Sept 2026).
Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
Record updated
- Life updated
- Remembered updated
- Life sources updated
Oct 15, 2026 · Initial record
Initial record from prototype research