Mississippi officials announced on Thursday that a student found hanging from a tree at his college had taken his own life.
On Monday, a tragic incident occurred at Delta State University when 21-year-old student Demartravion Reed was found hanging from a tree in the center of campus. The Cleveland Chief of Police, Travis Tribble, confirmed that the death has been officially classified as a suicide by hanging, although toxicology reports are still awaited, as reported by the Mississippi Free Press.
In their findings, the Bolivar County Coroner’s Office, alongside the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s office, announced that there were no signs of injuries on Reed that would indicate any foul play in his passing.
Reed’s family, raising concerns about how they were informed, is pursuing an independent autopsy, claiming that news of Reed’s death reached the media before it reached them. An attorney for the family claimed that on Tuesday, officials from Grenada County visited them to relay that Reed was discovered deceased in his dormitory bed.
As reported by WJTV, attorney Ben Crump revealed that Colin Kaepernick’s “Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative” is covering the costs for a second autopsy. Crump stated that the family is awaiting the release of Reed’s body by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office, so the independent autopsy can proceed.
Meanwhile, Tribble said the state’s autopsy was turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for review.
Reed’s toxicology report is expected to take two to four weeks.
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