Two Men Found Hanging in Mississippi - Authorities Say “No Foul Play,” but Questions Linger

Two men. Two trees. Two hangings within hours of each other in Mississippi. And the official line? No evidence of foul play. That’s the word from authorities after a young college student and an unidentified homeless man were both discovered hanging from trees in separate locations this week.

The first case hit especially hard. Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old student at Delta State University, was found hanging from a tree near the campus pickleball courts around 7 a.m. Monday morning. Police quickly moved to calm fears, saying the campus was safe and that there was no sign of a crime at the scene.

Just hours later, in an unrelated case, a homeless man was also found hanging from a tree. Officials again said there was no sign of foul play. Details remain scarce on his identity or the exact circumstances.

Let’s be honest: In America, when a Black man is found hanging from a tree, history casts a long shadow. For many, the immediate thought is lynching, hate crime, or racial violence. It doesn’t matter how quickly police declare “nothing to see here.” The optics are chilling, and the questions are inevitable.

We've been retained by the family of Demartravion "Trey" Reed — the 21-year-old Delta State University student whose body was found hanging from a tree.

Trey was a young man full of promise and warmth, deeply loved and respected by all who knew him. His family and the campus… pic.twitter.com/aaE88MRy0G

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) September 16, 2025

Of course, there will be those who have already determined, sans evidence, that this was a full hate crime.

Fascism and Jim Crow never died, it simply evolved.

His name was Demartravion "Trey" Reed and he was lynched at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. pic.twitter.com/wZqe0vaURb

— Je'lon Alexander, M.A. (@JelonAlexander) September 16, 2025

Law enforcement has promised transparency. Autopsy results are pending in Reed’s case, and the university has rolled out grief counseling for students while insisting the community is safe. But Americans have every right to demand answers, not vague assurances. After all, we’ve been burned too many times by institutions that tell us “trust us,” only to find out later that trust was misplaced.

The facts on the ground right now are these:

• Two men were found hanging from trees in Mississippi in separate incidents on the same day.

• Both cases are being investigated, but police are currently treating them as suicides or non-criminal deaths.

• No evidence of foul play has been presented publicly, though autopsies are not yet complete.

Here’s the problem: If these tragedies truly are suicides, that deserves just as much attention. Young men, especially young Black men, are facing skyrocketing suicide rates, and the mental health crisis is very real. But if there’s more to the story, burying it under “no foul play” headlines only fuels distrust.

Either way, the people deserve full transparency. Anything less, and these deaths will forever sit under a cloud of suspicion.

Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.

Join RedState VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!