The Nolan Wells grand jury reviewing the death of the Mississippi teen who went missing on Horn Island over the Fourth of July has concluded there was no criminal wrongdoing, according to officials.
The case of 18-year-old Nolan Wells drew intense speculation online after he failed to return to the mainland with friends on July 4. In a report released Monday, grand jurors rejected those claims, stating they found no credible evidence that anyone who traveled to or from Horn Island on the boats Triton, Palm Beach, or Tideline engaged in criminal conduct related to Wells’ death. The panel described the allegations as the result of public clamor and private malice.
Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said in a video statement that grand juries have a duty not only to prosecute the guilty but also to exonerate those falsely accused. She added there was no evidence that Wells’ disappearance and death were racially motivated.
Authorities said Wells went to Horn Island with friends to celebrate the holiday and was last seen around 3 p.m. His mother reported him missing that night. His body was found offshore on Monday, July 6, near the barrier island about 10 miles south of the Mississippi mainland. The grand jury said the position and condition of the body, along with the time and location of its discovery, were consistent with drowning.
An independent autopsy commissioned by the family could not determine a cause of death, according to civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family. Released Tuesday, the report found blunt force injuries to the back of Wells’ head and to his body. It noted alcohol was detected, but the amount, timing of consumption, and blood-alcohol level could not be determined. Independent forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr. wrote that there were gaps in information about Wells’ condition before or during his time in the water and said he was not convinced Wells was too intoxicated to swim based on investigative summaries and toxicology results.
The state medical examiner’s autopsy results have not been made public. The grand jury said the state likewise ruled the cause of death undetermined. Both autopsies reported bruising on the back of Wells’ head, the panel noted, while they differed on whether there was non-deep tissue bruising on his buttocks and shoulder. The grand jury said it could not determine what caused the injuries.
Crump, speaking with the family Tuesday, highlighted the unresolved questions about what caused the injuries and whether they contributed to Wells’ death. He has urged the district attorney to keep the investigation open and said that if the state will not fully pursue the case, the U.S. Department of Justice should.
Friends told investigators that Wells chose to remain on the island to talk with a girl and planned to return later. His parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, have said publicly they do not believe he would have stayed behind by choice.
The grand jury, which included 23 Jackson County residents, said those who traveled on the Triton, Palm Beach, and Tideline cooperated fully, providing marine GPS data, surveillance video, cell phones, and statements to law enforcement and the family. The panel also concluded that Wells chose to stay on Horn Island after the boat he arrived on departed, something it said is common on holidays and other busy days.
Nolan Wells grand jury rebukes online allegations
In its report, the panel emphasized that it found no reliable basis for social media claims targeting individuals on the boats that day. The grand jury’s findings leave the cause of death undetermined while ruling out criminal liability based on the available evidence.
The grand jury’s findings come amid broader concerns about how federal law enforcement and oversight agencies handle controversial cases, including questions over why some no longer trust Trump’s Justice Department. Civil rights advocates say transparency and consistent standards are key to maintaining public confidence.
One Response