Photo: Black Lives Matter
A second autopsy report for De'Martravion "Trey" Reed, the 21-year-old Delta State University student found dead on campus last month, has not yet been released, fueling continued public speculation, per Clarion Ledger.
Reed was found hanging from a tree near the university’s pickleball courts around 7 a.m. on September 15. Authorities ruled Reed's death a suicide, but his family raised questions about the investigation and ordered an independent autopsy, which was funded by Colin Kaepernick's “Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative."
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Reed's family, confirmed that the autopsy, conducted by Dr. Matthias I. Okoye, has been completed, but said results have not been finalized or released. Crump said he's also seeking video footage from the Cleveland Police Department, which has not yet been made public due to the investigation being labeled "ongoing."
Reed’s death came the same day another Mississippi man, 36-year-old Cory Zukatis, was found hanging in Vicksburg. Authorities said both deaths were suicides and not connected, though the timing has led to widespread speculation online.
Rumors have also circulated on social media that Reed suffered broken bones or other injuries inconsistent with suicide. The Bolivar County Coroner’s Office refuted those claims, saying there were no signs of trauma or assault.
Krystal Muhammad, leader of the New Black Panther Party, an organization not affiliated with the original Black Panther Party and labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, added fuel to speculation after she claimed to have inside information about the second autopsy.
Delta State University, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and local law enforcement agencies maintain that their findings point to suicide, with no foul play suspected.
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