A Jackson County grand jury determined there was no criminal conduct involved in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, according to a report released Monday, September 14, 2026. Wells, a student and football player at Southwest Mississippi Community College, was found dead on the shoreline of Horn Island on July 6, 2026, two days after he was reported missing during an Independence Day gathering.
The grand jury's findings addressed social media speculation regarding the occupants of three boats—the Triton, the Palm Beach, and the Tideline—that traveled to the island on July 4. Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath stated in a video message that the investigation found no evidence that the disappearance was racially motivated or that Wells' friends engaged in wrongdoing.
Wells was last seen on the island at 3 p.m. on July 4. While his friends told authorities he chose to stay behind to speak with a young woman, his parents, Christine Wells-Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, told reporters they did not believe he would have stayed behind by choice. Attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, pointed to what he described as contradictions in witness accounts, noting that one witness claimed Wells said he was staying, while another claimed he intended to leave.
Investigators utilized marine GPS data, surveillance footage, and cell phone records. The GPS data showed the boat Wells arrived on departed the island at 4:31 p.m. and docked on the mainland at 6:06 p.m. Wells' cell phone and car keys were later located with a friend on the mainland. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family could not determine a cause of death, but the grand jury report concluded the condition and location of the body were consistent with drowning.
The grand jury's decision concludes the criminal investigation into a case that drew allegations of racial bias from the family of Nolan Wells and their attorney, Benjamin Crump. The report stated the individuals on the three boats—the Triton, the Palm Beach, and the Tideline—were falsely accused due to "public clamor and private malice."
For the family of Nolan Wells and the local community in Ocean Springs, the findings provide an official explanation for the 18-year-old's death, though his parents have questioned the narrative that their son stayed on the island voluntarily. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Park Service, who searched the area surrounding the barrier island located approximately 10 miles off the Mississippi coast. The report clarifies that staying behind on the island is a common occurrence for visitors on holidays.
The case involved digital evidence, such as GPS tracking that documented the movements of the boats involved. Following the release of the grand jury report on September 14, 2026, the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office is closing the case. No further criminal proceedings are scheduled at this time.