Nolan Wells Death: Was It Murder? What we know so far about the mysterious Mississippi teen’s death
nolan wells Died during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island, Mississippi. The 18-year-old football player was reported missing hours after visiting a barrier island along the Mississippi Gulf Coast with a group of friends. His body was found two days later on the northwest corner of the island.
Investigators have not released an official cause of death.. Authorities believe he likely drowned; however, a final decision awaits autopsy and toxicology results from the Mississippi Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department says there is currently no evidence of foul play.. However, Nolan’s parents disputed the official timeline and launched an independent investigation with civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
Conflicting accounts of Nolan Wells’ final moments
Nolan, who had just graduated from high school, traveled to Horn Island with a group of friends on the Fourth of July. His father, Elmore Wonsley, told “Good Morning America” the trip was his son’s “last hurray” before reporting for football camp at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
A friend of Nolan reported him missing to the U.S. Coast Guard around 11 p.m. on July 4. His mother, Christine Wonsley, filed a missing persons report with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department shortly after midnight.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said investigators have interviewed friends who accompanied Nolan to Horn Island. They told authorities that Nolan decided to stay on the island after their ship departed because he planned to return later with another group.
Chancery Court Judge Ashlee Cole, whose son was among the group, also said in a Facebook statement that the boat carrying Nolan’s friend began to take on water. She wrote that Nolan chose to stay and return later with a different group of friends.
Ben Crump said witnesses gave conflicting accounts as to whether Nolan stayed voluntarily or planned to leave with another group after talking to a young woman.
On July 6, search teams found Nolan’s body in the water near the northwest tip of Horn Island. Jackson County Coroner Bruce Linder confirmed the identity through dental records but declined to speculate on the cause of death until an autopsy is completed.
“We just want to know what happened and why our children didn’t come home.”
Nolan’s family disputes his friend’s account of the night he disappeared.
Christine Wonsley told “Good Morning America” that she couldn’t believe her son would willingly separate from his friends because he had been taught to stay in the group.
“We always told him, if you go with five, you’ll come back with five,” said his father, Elmore Wonsley.
Sheriff Ledbetter also acknowledged that online speculation complicated the investigation.
Nolan’s family commissioned an independent autopsy in Washington, D.C., with assistance from former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Crump also said forensic experts are examining Nolan’s phone after his mother questioned inconsistencies between Nolan’s location history and Snapchat activity.
“We just want to know what happened and why our children didn’t come home,” Christine said during a news conference with Pastors Ben Crump and Al Sharpton.
