Nolan Wells Autopsy Returns Undetermined Cause of Death
CHICAGO (AP) — An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Xavier Wells has returned an “undetermined” cause and manner of death, leaving more questions than answers in the case of the 18-year-old college freshman who died after a July 4 boat trip to Horn Island, Mississippi. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced the preliminary findings Wednesday at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago, revealing that forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell could not rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death.”
The Autopsy Findings
The independent autopsy, conducted in Washington, D.C., and funded by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp, found no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries, according to AP News. However, Dr. Mitchell noted a “red discoloration” in the back of Wells’ skull described as “inconclusive” and meriting further investigation.
Because an initial state autopsy had already been performed in Mississippi, Wells’ body arrived without organs or neck structures — making it impossible to determine if he had suffered a neck injury or whether water had entered his lungs. The Mississippi medical examiner has not released the results of the state autopsy and did not return messages seeking comment.
“This is only another part of the puzzle, and even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time,” Crump said of the results.
What Happened on Horn Island
Wells, a wide receiver on the football team at Southwest Mississippi Community College, traveled with a group of friends — all of whom are white — by boat to Horn Island, an uninhabited barrier island about 7 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, to celebrate Independence Day. According to earlier reporting by the Associated Press, approximately 200 to 300 people were on the island that day.
Wells did not return with his friends. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island, believing he would get a ride back with someone else. His body was found floating off the coast of Horn Island on July 6, two days after he was last seen alive.
Troubling Questions
The circumstances surrounding Wells’ disappearance have drawn national attention, in large part due to several troubling details. Wells’ phone and keys were taken by his friends when they left the island. His mother tracked the phone using Life360 and retrieved it from a friend’s home, only to find that messages on Snapchat appeared to have been deleted.
“What teenager would leave their phone behind if they’re going to stay on this island? What teenager wouldn’t take their phone?” Crump asked. “It’s not adding up at all.”
Crump also raised concerns about the sheriff’s initial public statements. “We cannot allow another individual, particularly a young Black man’s death, to go uninvestigated,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said at the convention.
National Attention and Civil Rights Concerns
The case has galvanized prominent figures in the Black community. The Rev. Al Sharpton, who officiated Wells’ funeral on July 20, has called for transparency, as reported by the Associated Press. Actor and producer Tyler Perry paid for the funeral, and a $125,000 reward — jointly funded by Sharpton, Perry, and former NFL player Terrell Owens — is now offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Crump explicitly invoked Mississippi’s fraught racial history, including the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till and the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers, in explaining why the Wells family does not trust local authorities. “The history of Mississippi is something that they don’t just read about in books,” Crump said. “It’s a lived experience for many Black Americans.”
Investigation Status
Sheriff Ledbetter has said the investigation remains active and ongoing, with tips from the public playing a productive role. The FBI has been in contact with local authorities. According to local Mississippi news outlet WLOX, once the investigation is complete, the district attorney’s office will present the case to a grand jury.
Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell released a statement urging patience, saying investigators “remain committed to following the facts wherever they lead.”
What’s Next
Crump’s team is conducting its own investigation, and the family continues to press for the release of the state autopsy results and toxicology report. The independent autopsy report listed seven outstanding questions, including the circumstances that led Wells to enter the water, whether there was water in his airway, and whether there is evidence of injuries to the neck structures.
“We still have more questions than we have answers at this time,” Crump said. “And we’re going to persist in helping Christine and Elmore get these answers.”
For now, the Wells family waits — searching for the truth about what happened to their son on a summer day that began with celebration and ended in tragedy.