Nolan Wells’ independent autopsy results in ‘undetermined’ cause and manner of death

The independent autopsy report for Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old student found dead on Horn Island earlier this month, has returned as undetermined. Ben Crump, the attorney representing the Wells family, announced these preliminary findings at the 117th NAACP National Convention this week. The pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, stated that foul play cannot be ruled out at this stage of the investigation.

The report notes red discoloration on the back of the teen's head, although the findings are described as incomplete due to missing biological components. No toxicology results were included in this independent analysis. The family turned to this private assessment because they have yet to receive the official report from the Jackson County coroner, which remains pending.

Wells disappeared on July 4 after spending the holiday on Horn Island with a group of friends. His body was located two days later by a U.S. park ranger. While local authorities have explored the possibility of accidental drowning, the family and their legal team continue to challenge that narrative, citing the young man's athletic history as a swimmer.

Prominent public figures, including Tyler Perry and Terrell Owens, have joined civil rights leaders in offering a reward for information that leads to a conviction in the case. The parents of the victim continue to press for transparency from law enforcement, stating that the current lack of information from state officials is distressing. Wells was laid to rest this past Monday in Ocean Springs.