I can see photos to leete but LR cannot !!???

A restart doesn't actually FIX the issue permanantly.

As an example,

1 Go to a Folder of 3 photos that are UNEDITED

2 Mark one as Rejected.

3 Click the Edited Filter icon in the filter bar.  All the photos will disappear. 

4 Use the Switch or Filters Off preset to turn the filter off.  All the photos will come back.

5 Use the Delete Rejected Photos (Your error happens,  this is what your screen clips show) The Edited Filter icon doesnt get shut off.

You do not need to reset Preferences.  This is a bug in the Lightroom "Filters Off" preset or the switch with filters set that is causing an issue with the "Delete Rejected Photos" .  You will notice in your TOP screen clip you have the "Filters Off" preset selected but the "Doesnt have edits" filter is still highlighted.  The photos display like there is no filter but it trips up "Delete Rejected Photos". I can duplicate your scenario if I use the Filters Off preset.  The Issue goes away if I use my self created "All Filters Off" filter.  I posted this in another thread I can't find but Adobe hasnt fixed it yet.  I didnt realize it affected the "Delete rejected photos" command which is more serious than I originally thought.

Definitely something is 'wrong' with Steve_Ze's Lightroom!

(These are NOT virtual copies)

The error messages that show- "There were no rejected....." and "No photos match the filter" are the messages that I do see when I know that there are NO images marked as 'rejected' and use the [Ctrl+Backspace] shortcut.

Yet the OP does have Rejected photos!

Has a reset of the Preferences file been tried?  Preferences Reset 

Bob- just beat me with the Reset suggestion 🙂

You have a filter set that shows no photos.  The Delete Rejected Photos command respects the filter.  Turn the filter off.

They are virtual copies, you can delete them from the catalog, but if you mark these copies to discard you cannot delete them. "Discard" makes sense when you've imported and want to delete your worst photos.