Nolan Wells’ family seeks answers after missing Mississippi teen found dead
The family of Nolan Wells, who was missing for days and was found dead on an island off the coast of Mississippi, is seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding his death. They hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
Wells, 18, was last seen on Horn Island on July 4, where he and his friends went on a boat trip to celebrate the holiday, authorities said. His body was discovered Monday off the island’s coast following a search that involved multiple local, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the National Park Service.
Jackson County coroner Bruce Lynd told CBS News that dental records confirmed the body was Wells. An autopsy was performed Tuesday, but the results were not immediately made public, Lynd said.
In a statement released Tuesday, Crump said the family is seeking answers about the events leading to Wells’ death.
“Nolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate and friend who went out to celebrate the Fourth of July and never returned home. His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth,” Crump said. “We will not rest until the full facts of what happened to Nolan on Horn Island come to light, and we urge investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves.”
Crump was also held by the family of a recently murdered 1-year-old Mississippi boy. When police shoot at a moving vehicle.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said Wells took a boat to Horn Island with friends on Saturday but did not return to the mainland with them until that afternoon. He was last seen on the island at 3 p.m., according to Crump’s office. His mother reported Wells missing that night.
Ledbetter told The Associated Press that Wells’ friends are cooperating with the investigation.
“From the people we spoke to, it appears she chose to stay on the island under the assumption that she would return to the mainland with someone else,” he said.
Wells, who turns 19 next month, attended Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he played as a wide receiver on the football team. Wells’ high school coach, Tracy Lampley, described him to CBS News as “a happy-go-lucky kid with a big smile who everyone adored and loved.” Lampley said Wells was a talented athlete, a conscientious student and a respectful person.
“If you have kids, you want your kids to be like Nolan,” he said.
The coach said he recognized some of the people who appeared with Wells in social media videos over the break as former teammates, but he had not spoken to any of them. Lampley said he spoke to Wells’ family and they were devastated.
His mother, Christine Wonsley, said in a social media post that the family was searching for videos and other documents from the island.
“I am heartbroken for our sweet boy who was always ready to cheer up and bring joy to others,” she said. “Nolan was a special soul; God took the time to create our son.”
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office also asked the public to report whether they had seen Wells or had any interaction with him on or near Horn Island around the time he disappeared. The office said investigators are seeking “original, unedited photographs and videos taken at the northwestern tip of Horn Island where Wells’ body was found, specifically those depicting alleged fights or containing images of or believed to involve Nolan Wells.”
They also asked anyone who may have “observed or heard an argument, disturbance, or other unusual activity while on the island that day” to contact the office.
Ledbetter previously told CBS News that investigators hope to identify the original poster for a book. video Sounds of argument can be heard in the background.
Wells was flying a plane over Horn Island when his body was found, said Brian Trascher, national vice president of the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer organization that assisted in the search for Wells.
“They were setting up a tactical operations center or command center on the beach,” he said. “Soon after, I started receiving messages from my people that they had located the person they believed to be Nolan.”
