The mystery surrounding the untimely death of Mississippi college football player Nolan Wells intensifies as fresh insights into the discovery of his body come to light.
In a recent revelation by Todd Terrell, President of the United Cajun Navy, it was revealed that Wells’ body was located by a park ranger on July 6. This was two days after the 18-year-old attended a Fourth of July celebration. The discovery occurred on the northwest end of Horn Island during an aerial search conducted with the assistance of a seaplane.
According to Terrell, Wells was found lying ‘face down’ and ‘fully clothed’ in the vicinity where he is suspected to have drowned.
In an interview with Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Terrell explained the likelihood of Wells’ body being washed ashore due to the area’s notorious rip currents. He noted that the treacherous waters swiftly transition from two or three feet deep to twenty feet, within just a few steps.
Horn Island, part of the Gulf Coast’s uninhabited stretches, is a known hotspot for local gatherings. However, Terrell cautioned that it poses significant dangers because of the powerful rip currents, especially in the area where Wells was found.
“The rip current is very bad in that northwestern portion,” he said. “We call it the washing machine, actually. It’s an area where the current just just rolls round and round in there kind of like a washing machine.”
Terrell said he believed the body likely “didn’t go that far” before it was discovered on the beach.
What Happened to Nolan Wells?
Wells disappeared July 4 after attending a party at Horn Island with friends. Ashlee Cole, a judge and mom to one of Wells’ friends, said that her son last saw Wells around 3 p.m. before the group decided to head back home without Wells after experiencing a problem with the boat.
“They left around 4:30 pm when the boat was taking on water and they had an issue with the bilge pump,” she wrote in a July 7 post on Facebook. “Nolan made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends.”
After discovering his body two days later, officials said there were no apparent signs of foul play, People reported.
But much of Wells’ final hours still remain a mystery.
Independent Autopsy Finds “Undetermined” Cause of Death For Nolan Wells
Meanwhile, Wells’ family has raised significant questions and conducted their own independent autopsy, which listed the cause and manner of death as “undetermined,” according to The Associated Press. While forensic pathologist Dr. Robert Mitchell found no signs of fractures or deep tissue injuries, he did report “red discoloration” on the back of Wells’ head.
Mitchell was unable to determine whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water because the body arrived from the medical examiner without key organs or neck structures as officials are still in the process of conducting their own investigation, according to the report obtained by the news outlet.
The Mississippi medical examiner has yet to release their own findings from the initial autopsy.
Nolan Wells’ Best Friend Speaks Out, Calls Speculation “Terrible”
As speculation about what happened continues, Wells’ self-described “best friend” and Cole’s son Warren Hudson said the suggestion that he had anything to do with the death has been “hurtful.”
“It’s a sick world we’re living in,” he told The New York Post. “It’s terrible. Nolan was my best friend.”
Wells’ friends called for help after experiencing boat troubles around 4 p.m. that afternoon.
“Hey, we’re at the west tip of Horn, and our bilge pump stopped working,” the boat’s operator, who noted about seven people were on board, said in newly released audio obtained by NBC News. “We’re going. We’re sinking. Can you all please come?”
GPS data and chart plotter data from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources obtained by the news outlet showed the boat was towed from the island at 4:31 p.m. for about three miles before it resumed normal operation.
Wells’ family—aided by attorney Ben Crump—is still searching for answers. They’ve questioned the account that Wells had chosen to stay behind, pointing out that his phone and keys were still on the boat.
“We just want to know what happened,” his mom Christine Wonsley said at a press conference, per WJCL, “and why our baby didn’t come home.”
Oxygen reached out to Crump, but did not receive an immediate reply.
Rev. Al Sharpton, Tyler Perry and former NFL player Terrell Owens are offering a $125,000 reward to anyone with information that could lead to an arrest in Wells’ death, according to the AP.