Nolan Wells’ Independent Autopsy Leaves Cause of Death Undetermined
An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Wells did not determine how the 18-year-old died, but the forensic pathologist who conducted the examination said foul play could not be ruled out.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump disclosed the preliminary findings Wednesday during a news conference at the 117th NAACP National Convention in Chicago. The report classified both Wells’ cause and manner of death as “undetermined” while the investigation continues.
“These findings are inconclusive … pending further investigation,” Crump said. Although he acknowledged that the examination did not uncover evidence establishing wrongdoing, he added, “This pathologist cannot rule out if any intervening non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death of Nolan Wells.”
“There’s so many people out in the public asking all of these questions, but the only question that we have is what happened to our son,” Wells’ mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, told the crowd before the findings were announced.
Wells disappeared July 4 after traveling to Horn Island, a barrier island off the Mississippi coast that can be reached only by boat, to celebrate the holiday with friends from high school. His body was discovered two days later on the island’s northwestern shore by a U.S. park ranger.
Wells was the only Black person among the group of friends who took the Independence Day trip and the only member of the group who did not return. Although investigators have not said they found evidence of foul play, concerns that race may have played a role have helped draw national attention to the case.
Exactly when Wells was last seen that afternoon remains unclear. His friends told investigators that their boat began taking on water, forcing them to leave the island earlier than planned. According to their account, Wells chose to remain behind and said he would return later with others.
When the teenager failed to come home, his mother reported him missing around midnight. Few details have since been released by law enforcement about what happened between his friends’ departure and the discovery of his body, contributing to widespread questions about the case.
In a July 8 statement, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office asked members of the public for assistance as investigators continued examining Wells’ disappearance and death. “As with any active investigation, our investigators are working to establish the facts through eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, and other reliable information,” the department said.
Wells’ parents and Crump have challenged suggestions from authorities that he drowned. They have said Wells was an athletic and capable swimmer and argued that the circumstances presented to them do not add up.
Wells-Wonsley accused local authorities of prematurely treating her son’s death as an accident, saying that assumption had already influenced public perceptions of the case.
“Damage has already been done because that’s the narrative that’s being pushed by the general public.”
However, people familiar with Horn Island have told NBC News that strong currents, particularly near the island’s western side, could have quickly pulled Wells away and caused him to drown.
The independent examination was conducted July 10, six days after Wells disappeared and four days after his body was recovered, Crump said. Dr. Roger Mitchell, a board-certified forensic pathologist and president of the National Medical Association, performed the autopsy. Crump described the organization as the country’s oldest and largest association representing Black physicians.
Mitchell did not attend Wednesday’s news conference. The condition in which the pathologist received Wells’ body prevented him from completing a comprehensive forensic examination. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick paid for the independent autopsy.
According to the report, Mitchell was unable to determine whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water. He also could not establish how the teenager came to be in the water in the first place.
Crump described Wells’ physical condition immediately before he entered the water as the “crux of the matter.”
“It would be of utmost importance to be able to determine a cause and manner of death,” he said.
The independent report followed an initial autopsy conducted by the state. Because that examination “rightfully removed and dissected each organ,” Crump said, Mitchell could not “directly observe” Wells’ lungs to look for evidence of water intake or examine the contents of his stomach. The preliminary report also did not include toxicology results.
In addition, parts of Wells’ throat were no longer inside his body by the time Mitchell received it for examination.
Red discoloration was identified on the back of Wells’ head. Because Wells’ body had significantly decomposed before the independent examination, Mitchell could not determine whether it had sustained bruising. The examination did not reveal any lacerations or fractures.
“Therefore, this pathologist cannot rule out injury to the neck as a contributor or a cause of death.”
Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd told NBC News on Tuesday that the state’s autopsy report remained unfinished. The coroner’s office is awaiting the completion of toxicology testing by the medical examiner’s office before releasing its conclusions.
Wells-Wonsley said the delay in receiving the official findings contributed to the family’s decision to seek a separate examination.
“It is our hope that our local authorities will do what they need to do, because us having the preliminary autopsy results and hearing nothing from them — it’s heartbreaking, and it’s concerning. Which again is why we are here, why we have asked for this help.”
Wells’ father, Elmore Wonsley, similarly appealed for transparency as the investigation proceeds, saying, “We just want honesty.”
“We want to know what happened to our son because the things that you’re telling us — that’s not the character of our son. We know our son,” he added.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson used Wednesday’s news conference to claim authorities failed to investigate Wells’ death adequately.
“We are accusing them of being derelict in their duties to follow up and to ensure that, regardless of what happened, there was a proper investigation.”
The organization also adopted a resolution last week asking law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, to “complete an in-depth and openly transparent review of how Nolan came to be left on the island and of all activities” preceding the discovery of his body.
Crump also raised questions Wednesday about what Wells was wearing when his body was located. Authorities have said the teenager was found wearing only swim trunks, but Crump suggested that the United Cajun Navy, which helped conduct the search, told the family that Wells was also wearing a T-shirt.
Brian Trascher of the United Cajun Navy disputed that account following the news conference.
“I observed the body from the air, and he was (visibly) wearing only swim trunks that matched the photos taken of him that day,” Trascher told NBC News.
Trascher also accused Crump of having “misrepresented” what the volunteer organization “has said publicly and privately to the family.”
The uncertainty surrounding Wells’ death has attracted national attention and prompted several prominent figures to support efforts to obtain more information. The Rev. Al Sharpton, former NFL player Terrell Owens and actor and producer Tyler Perry have collectively offered $125,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for Wells’ death, Crump announced in a Tuesday news release.
Wells was buried Monday following a funeral service in his hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. His friends, relatives and teammates gathered afterward for a celebration.
The teenager played football for both Ocean Springs High School and Southwest Mississippi Community College. Relatives and friends remembered him at Monday’s service as a cherished son, brother, friend and teammate.
“For an 18-year-old young man to no longer be with us, we want answers, not bias either way: just answers,” Sharpton said while delivering the eulogy. “I think that for the family, the closure can come if there is justice.”
During the service at Center Pointe Church, Wells-Wonsley remembered her son as someone whose presence made the people around him feel accepted.
“Nolan had such a gentle, calming spirit about him. He had a way of making people feel seen, welcome, and valued,” she said. “He could lift your confidence with just a few words and make you feel like you belonged.”
“Share his stories, and never stop saying his name. As long as we continue to remember him, his light will continue to shine through us all.”
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.