The family of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old college football player who died after a Fourth of July outing on Horn Island, Mississippi, has released the preliminary results of an independent autopsy. The findings still leave key questions unanswered.
Family attorney Ben Crump presented the report from Dr. Roger J. Mitchell at a news conference on July 22. Crump said the examination was partly funded by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
What the independent autopsy found
- Mitchell could not yet determine a cause or manner of death, and he said he could not rule out foul play.
- He found no fractures or deep tissue injuries, but he did find a large area of red discoloration in the soft tissue at the back of Wells’ head, behind his ears. The cause is unknown, and Crump called it “significant.”
- The body’s decomposition may have hidden bruises or abrasions. Some organs had already been examined in the official autopsy, so Mitchell couldn’t check for signs of drowning. He did not run his own toxicology tests.
Seven open questions
Mitchell’s report lists the questions still unanswered: how Wells ended up in the water, the position of his body when he was found, whether there was water in his airway, whether he had neck injuries, whether there was bleeding in the brain, what was in his stomach and what toxicology shows. The official autopsy was performed July 7, and its results and toxicology report have not been released.
What authorities have said
Wells was last seen on Horn Island, a barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, around 3 p.m. on July 4. His body was found in the water near the island’s northwest end two days later. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told the Associated Press that Wells appeared to have chosen to stay on the island, expecting to ride back with someone else. Law enforcement says his friends have cooperated, that they found no early signs of foul play and that the cause of death is still undetermined.
The family says parts of that account don’t add up, including conflicting statements about whether Wells meant to stay behind and questions about his phone. His mother has also said she was initially told to contact a different agency when she tried to report him missing. Crump said the family’s legal team is conducting its own investigation and vowed to “persist” until they get answers.
In memory of Nolan
Wells, who would have turned 19 in August, played wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College. His mother remembered him as a peacemaker who made sure everyone felt included. His father, Elmore Wonsley, said he could make friends anywhere and was determined to build a better life for his family.
