Officials in Nolan Wells’ hometown are voicing strong support for their sheriff amidst accusations of neglect in official duties, following claims made on Wednesday morning.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson has criticized Mississippi officials for their handling of the case. This came during a press conference where attorney Ben Crump shared the results of an independent autopsy.
“Our issue is with the state of Mississippi and local authorities,” Johnson stated. He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to assure both Wells’ family and the community that any involved parties would face justice.
Nolan Wells is pictured smiling on the field as he plays wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College. (Christine Wonsley/Facebook)
The 18-year-old, Wells, vanished on July 4th during a boating outing with friends to Horn Island, a barrier island along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Intensive search efforts spanned two days before a National Park Service ranger discovered his remains on July 6th at the island’s northwestern edge.
Mississippi State Senator Jeremy England, who represents a portion of Jackson County, where the incident took place, told News Media the accusation by Johnson was “completely unfair.”
“Our sheriff and our district attorney here in Jackson County, our DPS commissioner over the state of Mississippi law enforcement, our crime lab, the offices they put together, I know many of them personally and professionally, and they have the utmost integrity and they want to get the facts correct and get out there. You know, they understand they’re under a microscope at this point in time, but they’re being unfairly attacked,” England said. “For no reason other than people trying to make shocking claims and get people to think something nefarious has happened or is going on.”
Nolan Xavier Wells disappeared on the Fourth of July while boating with friends, according to authorities. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Department via Facebook)
“But these are very good people, and it’s really disheartening to see their name and their reputation being dragged through the mud,” England said.
The state senator said Mississippi investigators won’t be swayed by public pressure, even as expectations build around the case.
“There’s not always someone to blame,” he said. “And here in Mississippi, we don’t have and we don’t follow what you see in some other states and some other communities where you have activist district attorneys and activist sheriffs, and they’re listening to the public and they’re wanting to respond to the public.”
“Our leaders, the people in that office, they don’t do that. They take their time, they make sure they get it right, and they’re doing that out of respect for the family and for the entire community at this point,” England said.
Congressman Mike Ezell, R-Miss., told News Media he has complete confidence in the current Jackson County sheriff, John Ledbetter, who is running the investigation.
“I have full confidence in Sheriff Ledbetter and all of our law enforcement officials as they are working hard to do a thorough investigation. As a former sheriff and police officer, I know firsthand the demands and pressure of their job, and I know they will handle this matter with integrity.”
During Wednesday’s news conference, Crump revealed that an area of “red discoloration” was found on Wells’ head, but said Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the autopsy, couldn’t come to a conclusion on a cause or manner of death “pending further investigation.” An official autopsy into Wells’ death hasn’t been completed.
When asked by News Media about the case, forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden said the head injury doesn’t point to foul play.
Attorney Ben Crump, center, speaks next to Elmore and Christine Wonsley, at left, and Rev. Al Sharpton during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
“So that could be from bumping into something in the water. There’s a lot of debris in the water, for example. It depends how deep it is, but it’s describing a really superficial impact that could have happened before death or after death,” Baden said. “What he’s describing is a minor injury that could be… totally innocent.”
Without having additional information, Mitchell wrote in his report that he couldn’t rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death.”
The independent autopsy’s release comes as Rev. Al Sharpton said he’s offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the death of Wells. Authorities previously told the Associated Press that foul play isn’t suspected.
Wells’ friends returned to the mainland that afternoon without him. Ledbetter has said investigators believe Wells chose to stay on the island. It wasn’t until later that night that his mother learned he was missing from one of Wells’ friends and reported it to authorities.