Questions swirl in handling of Nolan Wells’ death investigation
Renowned crime commentator Nancy Grace delves into the perplexing case of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old whose life was tragically cut short after a boat outing on Independence Day. Grace casts scrutiny on the investigation as troubling details emerge. She highlights the presence of dark red subcutaneous tissue found on the teenager’s occipital bone, along with the unsettling revelation that his lungs and throat were missing during a second independent autopsy.
Revelations about Nolan Wells’ final moments continue to unfold, adding layers to the mystery surrounding his death. A recently obtained document has surfaced, indicating that Wells’ alcohol consumption was noted as “heavy.” This detail came to light as authorities scoured Horn Island for Wells during the Fourth of July festivities.
The document in question, an email dated July 5 from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Marine Patrol, was directed to the U.S. Coast Guard amid the search efforts for the missing teen.
This email, besides offering a physical description and pinpointing Wells’ last known whereabouts, mentioned “Heavy” alcohol consumption. However, the origin of this information remains unspecified.
A promising freshman at Ole Miss, Wells hailed from Jackson, Mississippi. He vanished while enjoying a boating escapade to Horn Island with his friends. The intensive search operation, joined by multiple agencies, concluded on July 6 when his body was eventually discovered.
A newly released Marine Patrol email listed 18-year-old Nolan Wells’ alcohol intake as “heavy” while authorities searched for him after he disappeared during a boating trip to Horn Island. (Christine Wonsley/Facebook)
Authorities have not publicly identified a cause or manner of death, and the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s autopsy and toxicology results remain pending.
The newly reported details come days after a private autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family concluded his cause and manner of death were “undetermined pending investigation.”
During a July 22 news conference, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said an area of “red discoloration” was found on the back of Wells’ head but said Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the independent autopsy, could not determine a cause or manner of death pending further investigation.
“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” host Nancy Grace later discussed the findings on her show, where she raised additional questions about the investigation.
She pointed to what she described as deep red tissue beneath the skin at the back of Wells’ head and said the independent pathologist did not receive Wells’ lungs or throat when conducting the second autopsy.
Grace also questioned whether those findings could be significant but emphasized that she did not know what caused Wells’ death and noted there were “many accidental possibilities.”
Nolan Wells’ body was found July 6, but both the official and independent autopsies have yet to determine how he died, while questions remain about discoloration on his head. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Department via Facebook)
“There is deep, red, subcutaneous tissue” on the back of Wells’ head, Grace said, adding that the discoloration was localized rather than consistent with postmortem blood pooling.
Grace then questioned why the lungs and throat were unavailable during the independent examination.
“When the second autopsy got the body, the lungs and the throat were missing,” Grace said. “I understand why they took the lungs to determine if he had drowned, but why was the neck missing? What about the interior of the throat sparked the initial medical examiner’s concern?”
She stressed that those questions remain speculative until investigators release additional findings.
“I don’t know,” Grace said. “There are many accidental possibilities.”
The Jackson County District Attorney has defended the investigation amid growing public scrutiny, saying authorities are following standard procedures and awaiting forensic testing before drawing conclusions.
Authorities have not announced whether foul play is suspected.
News Media has reached out to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office for comment.