Nolan Wells’ death was “consistent with drowning,” and investigators found no evidence of foul play, according to a grand jury that reviewed the official autopsy and other evidence in the highly publicized case.
The Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office classified the 18-year-old’s cause and manner of death as undetermined after his body was found two days after he disappeared during a July 4 boating trip to Horn Island with friends. The findings were consistent with those of an independent autopsy conducted by a pathologist hired by Wells’ family.
“The Grand Jury finds that the position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location of Mr. Wells’ body is consistent with drowning,” the grand jury stated in a report filed Friday in Jackson County.
Here’s a tighter, polished news-style rewrite:
Nolan Wells, second from right, poses with friends during July 4 celebrations on Horn Island, Mississippi. The student-athlete later disappeared and was found dead two days later.
The 23-member grand jury, which convened last week, also found no evidence that a crime led to Wells’ death.
Jurors reviewed extensive evidence gathered during the investigation, including sworn testimony from the forensic pathologist hired by Wells’ family to conduct an independent autopsy, a forensic examination of Wells’ cellphone and materials collected as part of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office investigation.
The independent autopsy, performed by Dr. Roger Mitchell, was complicated by the absence of Wells’ throat following the initial post-mortem examination conducted by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office.
As part of the grand jury proceedings, Mitchell was given “full access” to examine the teen’s internal neck structures.
“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 report stated.
This undated photo shows Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old Mississippi student-athlete who disappeared during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island with friends.
A witness testified under oath that he saw Wells slip “awkwardly” from the side of a boat at about 3:30 p.m. on July 4, though he could not say for certain whether the college student struck his head during the fall.
The witness said Wells continued socializing afterward and did not appear to be injured.
“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 stated.
Wells, who was Black, had traveled with a group of friends to Horn Island, about 10 miles off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, for the July 4 holiday.
His friends later returned to the mainland after their boat developed a mechanical problem, while Wells remained on the island. His body was discovered in the water off Horn Island on July 6.
According to the grand jury report, Wells had purchased alcohol using a fake ID before his death. Investigators found no evidence that anyone of legal drinking age provided alcohol to Wells or his friends on July 4. The report also said there was no evidence that Wells had used cocaine.
The grand jury further found no evidence supporting “public allegations” that anyone who traveled to or from Horn Island was responsible for Wells’ death or engaged in criminal conduct that contributed to it.
Wells’ funeral was held on July 20, 2026.
In the weeks following his death, Wells’ friends faced a wave of online speculation and harassment over the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, including questions about why he remained on Horn Island after others left and why his phone and keys reportedly returned to the mainland without him.
The grand jury report characterized allegations targeting Wells’ friends — who traveled aboard three boats, the Triton, Palm Beach and Tideline — and their families as “malicious” and “false.”
The report also said there was nothing unusual about Wells remaining on Horn Island after his friends departed, noting that it is “common for visitors” to stay behind on holidays and other busy days.
“The Grand Jury finds that Mr. Wells’ phone was not the only phone to travel back to the mainland without its owner,” the report stated.
The grand jury also addressed claims surrounding race, including an assertion that Wells was the only Black person on Horn Island that day. The report said that claim was false and contributed to “misidentification, speculation, and rumors” surrounding his death.
“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,” she continued. “Nolan chose to stay on the island that day and there is not a scintilla of evidence to contradict that.”
Ben Crump, an attorney representing Wells’ family, criticized the grand jury’s findings and said the family continues to seek answers about the circumstances of Wells’ death.
“Today, the State of Mississippi is attempting to close the chapter on Nolan Wells’ death without getting to the truth,” Crump said in a statement following the release of the report.
“This grand jury result leaves us with more questions than answers,” he added. “Nolan’s family will not rest until we know what happened to him, and neither will we.”
