The mystery surrounding the death of Mississippi football player Nolan Wells has taken another turn after the mother of one of his friends revealed why the group left Horn Island without him hours before he vanished.
Wells, an 18-year-old wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College, disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip to Horn Island, Mississippi. His body was recovered on Monday near the area where he had last been seen alive.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter previously said Wells was last seen “talking to a girl” on the island and that, based on the investigation so far, “he chose to stay there.” However, she revealed in a statement that after they were finished talking, he said he was going back to the boat.
A viral video appeared to show a heated argument near the shoreline shortly before Wells disappeared. Investigators have not confirmed the authenticity of the footage or whether Wells was involved, but Ledbetter has urged anyone who witnessed an argument or unusual activity that day to come forward.
Ashlee Cole, a Jackson County judge whose son was among the friends on the trip, addressed the growing speculation in a Facebook statement. Cole said the group left the island around 4:30 p.m. after their boat began taking on water due to a bilge pump issue.
“Nolan made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends,” Cole wrote, adding that her son fully cooperated with investigators and last saw Wells around 3 p.m.
The teen’s family has retained prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said they are seeking answers about what happened in Wells’ final hours. The family has begun a private investigation and independent autopsy due to “some concerns about the state of Mississippi doing an investigation of the death of a young black man, where young white students may be looked at as having some culpability,” Crump said to ABC News.
“Nolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate, and friend who went out to celebrate the Fourth of July and never came home,” Crump explained. “His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth.”
Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd Jr. said Wells was formally identified through dental records. While an autopsy has been completed, officials say toxicology testing and other examinations could take several weeks.
Authorities have said drowning is suspected, though the investigation remains ongoing.
