Nolan Wells death update: Why did grand jury find no foul play after 18-year-old died following trip to Horn Island?

The death of Nolan Wells has taken a new turn after a grand jury said it will not bring criminal charges against anyone in the death of a Mississippi teenager. Nolan Wells was found dead two days after a boating trip with friends on 4 July. The judgement of the jury was announced after reviewing the official autopsy and other evidence in the highly publicized case that has sent shockwaves in the United States.

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office could not determine how the 18-year-old died or what caused his death. His body was found two days after he disappeared during a July 4 boat trip to Horn Island with friends. An independent autopsy hired by his family also could not determine the cause or manner of death. “The Grand Jury finds that the position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location of Mr. Wells’ body is consistent with drowning,” according to the grand jury report filed Friday in Jackson County.

The 23 grand jurors who met last week also found no evidence that a crime resulted in Wells’ death. The jury's decision comes after months of intense speculation about how the 18-year-old disappeared from a bustling party and why the friends who ferried Wells to the island left without him.


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Why did the jury find no evidence in Nolan Wells' death?

The findings come after the jury was provided a slew of evidence, including sworn testimony from the forensic pathologist who Wells’ family hired to do an independent autopsy, a forensic examination of Wells’ cellular phone, and other materials from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office’s death investigation.

The family’s independent autopsy by Dr. Roger Mitchell faced difficulties because Wells’ throat was missing after the official autopsy. However, Dr. Mitchell was given full access to examine the internal structures of the teen’s neck during the grand jury investigation. “There was bruising on the back of Mr. Wells’ head which was not a fatal injury. Further, the Grand Jury found no evidence of any fatal injury or organic disease to Mr. Wells’ body,” the reports said, as per New York Post.

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A witness testified under oath that he saw Nolan Wells slip “awkwardly” off the side of a boat around 3:30 p.m. on July 4. The witness couldn’t definitely say whether the college student struck his head during the fall. Wells continued to socialize after slipping and did not appear injured, the witness added.

“While the Grand Jury found no other evidence to explain the bruising to the back of Mr. Wells’ head, or suspected bruising on his buttocks and shoulder, the Grand Jury cannot say without absolute certainty that this fall caused this bruising,” the report said.

What happened to Nolan Wells?

Nolan Wells died after traveling to Horn Island, 10 miles off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast — with a group of pals on July 4. The college football athlete’s friends took their boat back to the mainland after running into a mechanical issue, but Wells stayed behind.

His body was discovered on July 6 in the water off the island. Nolan Wells also purchased alcohol with a fake ID leading up to his death, and no other people over the legal drinking age gave him or his friends any booze on July 4. There was no evidence he took cocaine, the report revealed.

There was also no evidence to support “public allegations” that anybody who rode to or from Horn Island was responsible or engaged in any criminal conduct leading to the teen’s tragic death, the grand jury found.

“There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan’s death and disappearance were racially motivated,” District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said in a video statement released Monday.

“The death of Nolan Wells has devastated our community. Outsiders and influencers have attempted to exploit Nolan’s death to divide and create chaos here. But we are better together,” McIlrath said.

“Nolan’s friends loved Nolan and Nolan loved them,” the district attorney said. “Nolan chose to stay on the island that day and there is not a scintilla of evidence to contradict that.”

Wells’ parents and their lawyers voiced suspicions after Wells’ friends left the island without him, saying he wanted to stay behind and talk to a girl. Wells’ phone was on the boat that took him to the island, which was later towed partway back to the mainland after taking on water.

Crump and Wells’ parents have cast doubt on why a teenager would choose to stay on an island without his phone. They also speculated that messages on his phone were tampered with and alleged his friends were reluctant to turn over his keys. Lawyers for Wells’ friends said the friends are cooperating with authorities.

The report concluded with the panel expressing sympathy for Wells’ family. “The evidence received in this matter convinced the Grand Jury of Mr. Wells’ outstanding character,” it said.

(With AP inputs)