Fact-check analysisVerified as of September 16, 2025Curated by FactVerify
Unverified

Two black men have been lynched in Mississippi in the last 24 hrs. Trey Reed,21 and Corey Zukatis, 36

There is confirmed evidence that Trey Reed, a Black student, was found hanging at Delta State University in Mississippi, but there is no verified independent confirmation that Corey Zukatis was also found hanged or lynched in Mississippi within the same timeframe.

Black student found hanging from tree at Delta State University - TheGrio

Black student found hanging from tree at Delta State University - TheGrio

Source: thegrio.com

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified September 16, 2025
  • Multiple reputable news outlets (TheGrio, Clarion Ledger) report Trey Reed was found hanging at Delta State University with suspected suicide noted.

  • Social media posts claim Corey Zukatis was also found hanged in Mississippi but lack confirmation from credible news or official sources.

  • Coroner statements and university officials have addressed Trey Reed's case but have not confirmed foul play; community voices strongly dispute this.

The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

The available sources confirm that Trey Reed, a 21-year-old Black student, was found hanging from a tree at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, on or around September 15, 2025. This incident led to campus closures and increased security measures. Official reports and the coroner's statements suggest the death is suspected to be a suicide, though community members and social media voices strongly dispute this interpretation and allege foul play or lynching.

Regarding Corey Zukatis, multiple social media posts claim he was also found hanged in Mississippi on the same day as Trey Reed. However, these claims appear only in user-generated content on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Threads without corroboration from established news outlets or official sources. No mainstream or authoritative news source confirms the existence of Corey Zukatis or his death by hanging.

The social media posts express strong opinions that both deaths are hate crimes and not suicides, reflecting community fears and distrust of law enforcement. However, these remain allegations without verified evidence presented in credible news reports.

Additional unrelated sources discuss past cases of police torture of Black men in Mississippi but do not relate to these recent events.

In summary, while Trey Reed's death by hanging is documented by multiple reliable sources, the claim about Corey Zukatis lacks independent verification. The nature of Trey Reed's death (suicide vs. Homicide) remains contested publicly but officially is treated as suicide pending further investigation.

Primary trail

Verified Sources10

Black student found hanging from tree at Delta State University

thegrio.com
Open source

HEY-EY-EY-EY! (HEY-EY-EY-EY!) Let's Go, Buffalo! on X: "Trey Reed wasn't the...

x.com
Open source

Do not let white people gaslight you. Trey Reed & Corey Zukatis were murdered....

threads.com
Open source
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