Tag: lynching

  • Unalived Mysteries: Justice for Demetrice Moore

    Once again, we must talk about something heavy that’s happening right in our community, something that breaks my heart and has me asking some serious questions. We need to talk about Demetrice Moore, known to his people as “D.”

    On September 14th, 2025, in the Dollarway area of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Demetrice, a 37-year-old Black man, was found dead. He was found hanging in a shop. And what has followed since that day is a whole lot of silence, a whole lot of unanswered questions, and a whole lot of pain.

    The Official Story vs. The People’s Questions

    For weeks, we heard next to nothing official. It was his family, friends, and the community—grieving and confused—who kept his name and this case alive on social media. They were the ones demanding transparency.

    Then, three weeks after Demetrice was found, on October 3rd, the Pine Bluff Police Department finally released a statement. They said their preliminary investigation indicates that Mr. Moore’s death was a suicide by hanging.

    Now, I hear that, but it ain’t settling well with me—or with his family and community. See, when a Black man is found under such suspicious circumstances, knowing the history of this country and our people, it’s hard to just accept the first thing they tell us.

    Why We Can’t Just Move On

    There are some things about this case that just don’t add up, and we need the authorities to address them fully and truthfully.

    The Padlock Mystery: Reports circulating on social media—which haven’t been fully addressed by police—claim the shop where Demetrice was found was padlocked from the outside. Now, how does a person take their own life inside a room and then padlock it from the outside? That right there raises a big, bright-red flag. The police statement only noted that the door leading to his dwelling was a door, but they didn’t really clear up this crucial detail about the shop he was found in.

    The Three-Week Wait: Why did the Pine Bluff Police wait three whole weeks to release even a preliminary statement? It took social media chatter, grief, and community demands for them to say anything. That kind of delay doesn’t build trust; it just breeds more suspicion.

    The Uninterviewed Witness: Social media posts by people close to the situation mention a white male, identified as “Coop,” who was allegedly a friend and left the scene before the police arrived. These reports claim he was never interviewed by detectives. Furthermore, there are claims that this individual was seen with scratches and bruises after Demetrice was found. If a witness was there and left, why wouldn’t the police immediately interview him? That’s just standard procedure, right?

    Preliminary Doesn’t Mean Final: The police statement even says they are awaiting the full autopsy report, including a toxicology screening, before they close the case. If you’re waiting for the facts, how can you already rule it a “suicide”? They’re already setting a narrative before the full truth comes back. And frankly, what does toxicology have to do with whether the place was locked from the outside?

    Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

    This is about more than one man. This is a call for accountability, transparency, and the truth. The family of Demetrice Moore deserves more than a three-week-late, preliminary statement that leaves key questions unanswered.

    We see you trying to deflect, and we stand with those demanding a real, thorough investigation. Demetrice Moore’s life matters, and his name will not be forgotten.

    We pray for his family and loved ones, but we are also praying for action. We already know this wasn’t a suicide. We already know this young man will need two autopsies done; one through the county and then a private one; no different from Trey Reed’s homicide in Cleveland, Mississippi. We already know how this will go. So #JusticeForDemetriceMoore

  • Two Men Found Hanging in Mississippi

    On September 15, 2025, two men were discovered hanging from trees in separate parts of Mississippi—one on a college campus in Cleveland, the other in the woods near Vicksburg. Although authorities say the cases are not connected, the timing and manner of the deaths have sparked deep concern about race, history, and mental health in the state.

    What Happened in Cleveland 🌳

    Early Monday morning around 7:05 a.m., Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old Black student from Grenada, Mississippi, was found hanging from a tree near the pickleball courts at Delta State University in Cleveland.

    Campus police and the Bolivar County Coroner’s Office confirmed there were no signs of physical assault—no cuts, bruises, broken bones, or injuries consistent with an attack. Officials have not yet ruled on cause or manner of death, and the body was sent to the Mississippi State Crime Lab for a full autopsy.

    Especially online, the public has reacted strongly. Some have alleged Reed was attacked or lynched—a notion countered by officials citing absence of trauma. But phrases like “Black people don’t lynch themselves” have been widely shared, reflecting skepticism that Reed’s death was suicide, especially given Mississippi’s legacy of racial violence. Reed’s father also posted online that his son had started fearing for his life before he died, deeply unsettling many who saw a lack of clarity from authorities

    Cousin of Trey Reed speaks, Cleveland MS Chief of Police speaks

    What Happened in Vicksburg 🌲

    Just hours later, around 1:30 p.m. near Ameristar Casino in Vicksburg, the body of Cory Zukatis (also spelled “Zutakis”), a white man in his mid-30s and reported to be homeless, was found hanging in a wooded area.

    The Warren County Coroner said Zukatis had a history of drug use and homelessness, but authorities made no conclusions on whether the death was suicide or homicide. His body was also sent to the state crime lab for autopsy. Vicksburg police confirmed there is no link between this death and Reed’s case.

    Online misinformation spread quickly—some claimed Zukatis was Black, or connected to broader conspiracies—but officials clarified these claims were false.

    Be sure to subscribe to Mya Lamis on Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@ElevateWithMya

    A Painful Coincidence 💔

    It is very sad that both of these deaths happened on the same day, with both men found in a similar way. This has brought up painful memories of Mississippi’s history of lynching, a form of racial violence used against Black Americans. Many people, especially online, have found it hard to believe that both deaths were suicides, given this history.

    IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, THESE WERE NOT SUICIDES! THESE WERE MURDERS IN MISSISSIPPI! NO FOUL PLAY-NO SUCH THING! AND WE ALL KNOW THESE POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THESE SMALL MISSISSIPPI TOWNS ARE CORRUPT!