The family of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, a Mississippi college student, is requesting a more thorough investigation into his death after he was found dead following a Fourth of July outing. Wells went missing after a boat trip with friends to a barrier island and was reported missing when he did not return. His body was recovered on July 6, two days after he disappeared.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has stated that there is currently no suspicion of foul play. Sheriff John Ledbetter has encouraged anyone with information or footage from the holiday weekend to come forward. However, Wells's family has expressed concerns, citing video evidence of their son in an altercation prior to his disappearance and questioning the conclusion that he drowned, noting his athleticism and swimming ability.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and activist Al Sharpton have joined the family's legal team, advocating for a more comprehensive investigation. At a news conference, Crump alleged that Wells's friends left the island without him, taking his phone and car keys. The family later used a phone-tracking app to locate Wells's phone on the mainland, where a friend retrieved it.
Crump also mentioned that the family suspects messages from social media apps were deleted from Wells's phone before its return and plans to hire forensic experts to recover the data. An autopsy has been completed, but the results regarding the cause and manner of death are expected to take several weeks to be released. Sheriff Ledbetter indicated that Wells's friends have been cooperative with investigators, suggesting that Wells may have chosen to remain on the island with the expectation of returning with someone else.