Nolan Wells Update: Ben Crump Retained, Autopsy Underway, and Viral Horn Island Video Now Under Investigation
Nolan Xavier Wells, the 18-year-old Ocean Springs, Mississippi teen who went missing during a July 4 boating trip on Horn Island, has been officially identified. His family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump and is demanding a full investigation into how he died.
Wells' body was recovered Monday morning by a park ranger, just off the northwestern tip of Horn Island. Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd confirmed the identification through dental records around 2 p.m. Tuesday, per WLOX News. An autopsy was performed Tuesday at the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office Coast Lab. Officials say full toxicology results could take up to two weeks.
Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, confirmed his death on Facebook. "His father Elmore Wonsley, our family, friends and I are absolutely devastated," she wrote, per ABC News. "My heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others. Nolan was a special soul."
Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday on Horn Island, roughly 10 miles off the Mississippi coast. He had traveled to the island by boat with a group of friends from a private dock in the Ocean Springs area. He did not return on the same boat as the rest of the group. His phone was later found on the boat. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter says investigators initially suspected he drowned, but they are still interviewing everyone who was with him that day.
On Tuesday afternoon, Wells' family retained Crump, the civil rights and personal injury attorney known for his work on the George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin cases. "Nolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate and friend who went out to celebrate the Fourth of July and never came home," Crump said. "We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light."
The case has drawn national attention and community concern. Per TMZ, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office is investigating a viral video that allegedly shows a heated Fourth of July confrontation on Horn Island near where Wells' body was found. Sheriff Ledbetter confirmed his office is aware of the footage but has not verified its authenticity or connection to Wells' death.
Wells was Black. The friend group he traveled with was reportedly white. Wells' grandfather Christopher Wells Sr. openly questioned the timing of the discovery on Facebook. "Too many unanswered questions," he wrote. "How can an Island that was searched yesterday produce my grandson's body?"
Wells graduated last year from Ocean Springs High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete. He went on to play football at Southwest Mississippi Community College. "He was the kind of son, teammate, friend and student that every coach hopes to have in a program," Ocean Springs head football coach Jake Bramlett said in a statement.
Anyone with photos, videos, or information about Horn Island on July 4 is asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff's Office at 228-769-3065.