CHICAGO, United States — An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Wells has left unanswered the central question surrounding the Mississippi teenager’s death: how he died after becoming separated from his friends during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island.
Ben Crump, the lawyer representing the family, disclosed the findings on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, during the 117th NAACP National Convention in Chicago.
The examination classified both the cause and manner of death as “undetermined” while the investigation continues.
The pathologist said the condition of Wells’ body and procedures carried out during an earlier state autopsy prevented him from reaching a definitive conclusion.
“This is only another part of the puzzle, and even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time,” Crump said.
Wells, an 18-year-old football player from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, disappeared on July 4 after travelling by boat to the island with friends.
A United States park ranger found his body two days later near the island’s north-western shore.
Examination Finds No Clear Cause of Death
Roger Mitchell, a board-certified forensic pathologist and president of the National Medical Association, conducted the independent examination on July 10.
Mitchell reported no apparent fractures, lacerations or deep-tissue injuries.
He did, however, document an area of red discolouration at the back of Wells’ head.
The finding was considered inconclusive and required further investigation.
The pathologist could not determine whether the discolouration resulted from an injury or from changes that occurred after death.
Decomposition also made it impossible to establish whether Wells had sustained bruising.
According to Crump, Mitchell could not exclude the possibility that non-accidental circumstances contributed to Wells’ death.
The finding does not establish that a crime occurred, and authorities have not announced evidence proving that Wells was attacked.
The second autopsy did not include toxicology results.
Mitchell was also unable to determine whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water, how he entered it or what physical condition he was in at the time.
Crump described Wells’ condition before entering the water as the “crux of the matter.”
“It would be of utmost importance to be able to determine a cause and manner of death,” he said.
Earlier Autopsy Limited Independent Review
The state medical examiner had already examined Wells’ body before it was released for the independent autopsy.
Crump said the first examination involved the removal and dissection of Wells’ organs.
As a result, Mitchell could not personally inspect the lungs for evidence of water intake or examine the contents of the stomach.
Parts of the throat and neck were also unavailable when Mitchell received the body, according to the report presented by Crump.
“Therefore, this pathologist cannot rule out injury to the neck as a contributor or a cause of death,” Crump said.
Priya Banerjee, a board-certified forensic pathologist who was not involved in the examination, said second autopsies are often constrained by procedures performed during the first review.
“It’s never going to be intact or, you know, in the pristine state that you get an unexamined body,” Banerjee said.
She added that an independent examiner may not immediately receive access to the first pathologist’s findings because state laws and an active investigation can restrict the release of medical and investigative records.
The Jackson County coroner’s official report remains incomplete. Coroner Bruce Lynd said the office was still awaiting toxicology findings from the medical examiner.
Crump called on local authorities to share evidence from the state examination with Mitchell.
He also asked that the independent pathologist be permitted to participate when a Mississippi grand jury considers the results of the death investigation.
Friends Left Island After Boat Developed Problems
Wells travelled to Horn Island with friends to celebrate the July 4 holiday.
The island, located off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, is accessible only by boat.
Wells was last seen sometime during the afternoon, although investigators have not publicly established a precise time.
His friends told police that their boat began taking on water, forcing them to return to the mainland earlier than expected.
They said Wells chose to remain on Horn Island and planned to travel back with other people.
Wells did not return home that evening.
His mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, reported him missing around midnight.
A search involving law-enforcement agencies, park officials and volunteer groups followed.
A park ranger discovered Wells’ body on July 6.
Authorities have released little information about what happened between the departure of his friends and the recovery of his body.
The absence of a completed state autopsy and toxicology report has left the family without an official explanation.
Parents Say They Still Lack Answers
Wells’ parents, Christine Wells-Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, appeared with Crump before the autopsy findings were presented in Chicago.
“There’s so many people out in the public asking all of these questions, but the only question that we have is what happened to our son,” Wells-Wonsley said.
She said the delay in receiving findings from the state examination had contributed to the decision to arrange a second autopsy.
“It is our hope that our local authorities will do what they need to do, because us having the preliminary autopsy results and hearing nothing from them — it’s heartbreaking, and it’s concerning,” she said.
“Which again is why we are here, why we have asked for this help.”
Wonsley said the family wanted investigators to provide a complete and truthful account.
“We just want honesty,” he said.
“We want to know what happened to our son because the things that you’re telling us — that’s not the character of our son. We know our son,” he added.
The family and its legal team have questioned suggestions that Wells simply drowned.
They have pointed to his athletic build and swimming ability and said the known account of his final hours does not adequately explain his death.
Swimming ability, however, does not eliminate the risk of drowning.
People familiar with Horn Island have said currents near its western side can be powerful enough to overwhelm experienced swimmers.
Investigators have not announced a final determination and have said the inquiry remains open.
Conflicting Accounts of Clothing
A separate disagreement has emerged over what Wells was wearing when his body was located.
Crump said the family had been told by the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer group involved in the search, that Wells was wearing a T-shirt when he was found.
Authorities had said he was wearing only swimming trunks.
Brian Trascher, a representative of the organisation, disputed Crump’s account after the news conference.
“I observed the body from the air and he was [visibly] wearing only swim trunks that matched the photos taken of him that day,” Trascher said, adding that Crump had “misrepresented” what the group told the family.
The disagreement does not resolve how Wells died but has added to the conflicting information surrounding the case.
Reward Offered for Information
The Rev. Al Sharpton, actor and producer Tyler Perry and former National Football League player Terrell Owens have offered a combined $125,000 reward.
The money is intended for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone found responsible for Wells’ death.
The reward does not indicate that authorities have concluded that a crime took place.
The independent autopsy similarly left open several possibilities without identifying a specific cause.
Crump said the family’s private investigation would continue while it awaited the state autopsy, toxicology findings and additional evidence from law enforcement.
Wells Remembered by Family and Teammates
Wells was laid to rest in Ocean Springs on Monday. Relatives, friends and former teammates attended the funeral, which was followed by a gathering celebrating his life.
During the service at Center Pointe Church, Wells-Wonsley remembered her son as someone who offered encouragement and made other people feel accepted.
“Nolan had such a gentle, calming spirit about him. He had a way of making people feel seen, welcome and valued,” she said.
“He could lift your confidence with just a few words and make you feel like you belonged.”
The independent examination has now added medical findings to the investigation, but it has not settled the questions confronting Wells’ family.
A final explanation may depend on the state toxicology report, evidence from the first autopsy, witness accounts and the findings of law-enforcement investigators.
