The family of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells and civil rights attorney Ben Crump held a news conference Tuesday at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, just outside Atlanta, after a Mississippi grand jury declined to bring criminal charges in the teenager’s death.
On Monday, a Jackson County grand jury unanimously returned a “no true bill,” finding no probable cause to indict anyone in connection with Wells’ death.
Ben Crump, Family Speak on Nolan Wells Grand Jury Findings
The panel reviewed testimony from more than 40 witnesses, physical and digital evidence, GPS and cellphone data, videos, and reports. It concluded there was “no credible evidence” of criminal conduct by anyone who traveled with Wells to or from Horn Island on July 4, 2026, and “absolutely no evidence” that the death or disappearance was racially motivated. The grand jury said the position, condition, time of discovery, and location of Wells’ body were consistent with drowning.
Wells, a Black student-athlete and wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College from Ocean Springs, went by boat with friends to Horn Island, a remote barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, to celebrate the Fourth of July. Friends said he chose to stay behind. He was reported missing that night. His body was found in the water near the island on the morning of July 6 by a National Park Service ranger. Both the Mississippi State Chief Medical Examiner and an independent forensic pathologist hired by the family, Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, ruled the cause and manner of death undetermined.
Drowning was not ruled out and was described as a diagnosis of exclusion. Non-fatal bruising was documented on the back of Wells’ head; an independent exam also noted traces of blood and blunt-force injuries to the head and back. Toxicology showed no drugs in his system.
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, told those gathered that she could not understand how the panel reached a drowning conclusion given autopsy findings that included trauma to his body. “How can a jury come to the conclusion of drowning, despite knowing that there was trauma to his body, and despite hearing many inconsistencies?” she asked. She said the family learned of the grand jury’s decision only minutes before Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath posted a video announcing it. “Last night was a reminder that our son’s life does not matter to those who hold positions that are supposed to serve and protect the public,” Wonsley said through tears. “Nolan is loved. He is cherished. He is honored. And he did not deserve to have his life taken away so suddenly.”
Crump said the family would continue seeking answers. “The district attorney called the state’s investigation exhaustive,” he said. “Was it exhaustive? Or were they just exhausted? Because an exhaustive investigation should lead to the truth of what happened to Nolan Xavier Wells.” He argued that drowning should not be certified until other causes, including blunt-force trauma to the back of Wells’ head and body, are ruled out. “Common sense tells you that this child did not just drown.” Crump and others again asked the U.S. Department of Justice to open an independent investigation, noting that Horn Island is federally maintained. They also called for release of the full investigation file and the state medical examiner’s complete autopsy report.
He called for Mississippi to keep the investigation open, release the full state autopsy report, and for the U.S. Department of Justice to step in if state officials do not pursue the case further. The family also released the full independent autopsy report. Rev. Al Sharpton echoed the call for continued scrutiny, saying a “no true bill is not an answer.”
The case drew national attention and online speculation after photos circulated of Wells with white friends on the trip. Authorities and the grand jury rejected claims of racial motivation or foul play. The DA’s office has said Wells’ friends loved him, that he chose to stay on the island, and that there is no evidence contradicting that account. Some of the friends’ attorneys have described them as completely innocent and noted they faced threats amid public rumors.
The Tuesday Atlanta event is expected to feature Crump, the Wells family, and members of their legal team. They plan to reiterate demands for transparency, continued investigation, and federal review. The Congressional Black Caucus had previously requested DOJ and FBI involvement. As of the scheduled start time, no further details from the press conference itself were immediately available. The family has maintained throughout that they seek a full accounting of how Wells died after going out with friends and not returning.