KEY POINTS
- Trey Reed, 21, was found hanging from a tree at Delta State University, prompting campus closure.
- Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump joined Reed's family in calling for a full, independent investigation.
- Hours later, Cory Zukatis, 36, was found hanging in Vicksburg; police insist the cases are unrelated.
The deaths of two men found hanging from trees in Mississippi on the same day have triggered calls for federal intervention, as officials sought to dispel suspicions of foul play and emphasised that the cases were unrelated.
On Monday morning, the body of 21-year-old Demartravion 'Trey' Reed, a Black student at Delta State University, was discovered hanging from a tree near the pickleball courts in Cleveland, Mississippi. The university closed for the day as officers launched an investigation.
Delta State police chief Michael Peeler told reporters there was no immediate indication of foul play. 'At this time, there is no evidence of any wider threat to the campus', he said, confirming that state and local authorities were assisting in the inquiry.
Reed's death quickly drew widespread attention, not only because of his youth but also because of Mississippi's long and painful history of racial violence. Social media posts alleging that Reed had broken legs and other injuries that would have made it impossible for him to hang himself spread rapidly, intensifying suspicions.
The Bolivar County Coroner's office issued a statement rejecting those claims, saying Reed 'did not suffer any lacerations, contusions, compound fractures, broken bones, or injuries consistent with an assault'. The office added that its investigation was ongoing.
Still, local reaction remained unsettled. Stacie Hoskins, a Black student at Delta State, told 16 WAPT News: 'It really makes me feel unsafe.'
Questions on Trey Reed's Death
Reed's family, in a statement to the same station, described him as 'our little quiet light. He was sweet, well mannered and would give you the world if he could'. They asked for continued prayers as they navigated their grief.
Prominent civil rights lawyer Ben Crump announced that he had been retained by Reed's family. 'We cannot accept vague conclusions when so many questions remain', he wrote on X, pledging to pursue a full, independent investigation with support from civil rights groups.
US Rep. Bennie Thompson also weighed in, urging the Department of Justice and FBI to intervene. 'While the details of this case are still emerging, we cannot ignore Mississippi's painful history of lynching and racial violence against African Americans', he said. 'We must leave no stone unturned in the search for answers.'
A Second Hanging Reported
Just hours after Reed's body was found, Vicksburg police received a call about another man found hanging in a wooded area off Washington Street near the Ameristar Casino. Officers arriving around 1:30 p.m. discovered 36-year-old Cory Zukatis, a white man from Brandon, dead at the scene.
Police described Zukatis as homeless and said the case was not connected to Reed's death earlier that day. Investigators have not suggested foul play, but their inquiry is ongoing.
The proximity in timing between the two discoveries nevertheless fuelled speculation online and among community members. Officials attempted to draw a clear line between the cases. 'These are separate and unrelated incidents', Vicksburg police said.
Public Pressure Builds
The two deaths, so different in circumstance but eerily similar in manner, have unsettled communities across Mississippi. The speculation has only grown as online rumours mix with historical memory.
For Reed's family and supporters, the key issue is transparency. Crump said: 'I stand with this family, and I will lead a team of civil rights leaders and organisations in pursuing transparency and answers for Trey's family.'
While police emphasise that both cases remain under investigation, calls for independent oversight are unlikely to subside. The combination of a young Black student dying on a college campus and another man found dead in a tree in a separate city on the same day has left residents uneasy and demanding clarity.
History and Sensitivity
Mississippi has long grappled with the shadow of racial violence, and the discovery of a Black man hanging from a tree inevitably raises alarm, regardless of preliminary findings. Advocates stress that even if investigators ultimately conclude Reed's death was a suicide, the process must be thorough, impartial and communicated clearly.
For now, the official position is that there is no evidence linking Reed and Zukatis, and no indication either man was assaulted before their deaths. But with civil rights lawyers, federal lawmakers and grieving families pressing for accountability, the spotlight on Mississippi's investigations is unlikely to dim.
As Representative Thompson warned: 'We cannot ignore history. Only with a complete and transparent investigation can communities begin to heal.'
