Grand jury finds Nolan Wells’ death was ‘consistent with drowning,’ no foul play
A grand jury in Mississippi found Nolan Wells’ death on July 4th was ‘consistent with drowning’ and no foul play was suspected amid rampant speculation.
A Jackson County grand jury found that the evidence they reviewed was not sufficient for any criminal charges in connection to Wells’ death.
Wells, 18, was found floating adrift on July 6 after he and his friends were on a boating trip off of the Mississippi Gulf Coast near Horn Island.
Wells’ death garnered national attention, with his heartbroken family calling for an investigation despite law enforcement’s determination that no foul play was involved.
In a report released by the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office, the grand jury report said it ‘finds that the position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location of Mr Wells’ body is consistent with drowning.’
‘After a thorough and exhaustive investigation, your grand jury met last week concerning the death investigation of Nolan Wells and unanimously returned a no true bill,’ District Attorney Angel Myers Mcllrath said.
‘The death of Nolan Wells has devastated our community. Outsiders and influencers have attempted to exploit Nolan’s death to divide and create chaos here but we are better together.’
It stated that both the state Chief Medical Examiner and another doctor asserted that the cause of the teenager’s death was ‘undetermined’ and that ‘drowning is a diagnosis of exclusion.’
Nolan Wells’s body was found after the 18-year-old football player and his friends were on a boating trip off of the Mississippi Gulf Coast near Horn Island for the Fourth of July
Wells’s death garnered national attention, with his heartbroken family calling for an investigation into the tragedy despite law enforcement’s determination that his death involved no foul play
The teen’s mother became more suspicious after getting her son’s phone back, where she checked Snapchat and saw that her son had not taken any photos of his day out, which she said was unusual for the football player
‘There was bruising on the back of Mr Wells’ head which was not a fatal injury,’ the documents said, adding that the doctor and state medical examiner disagreed about further bruising on his rear and shoulder.
‘A witness testified under oath that he saw Mr Wells slip awkwardly off the side of a boat around the time of 3.30pm on July 4… but could not say whether Mr Wells struck his head during the fall,’ the report continued.
The witness said Wells continued to socialize afterward and did not appear injured.
The grand jury addressed the public’s concerns and dismissed rumors, determining that Wells was not the only person of color on Horn Island on the day of his death as speculated.
‘There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan’s disappearance and death were racially motivated,’ Mcllrath said.
‘The Grand Jury finds no credible evidence to support the public allegations that any persons who rode to or from Horn Island on July 4… engaged in any criminal conduct related to the death of Mr Wells,’ the report said.
It also found Wells had not been involved in a fight or argument on July 4 and stayed on the island, along with others, to ‘socialize.’
According to the report, the Triton that transported Wells’ group across the water had a bilge pump and motor malfunction on July 4 and was ‘actively taking on water and sinking.’
The grand jury addressed the public’s concerns and dismissed rumors, determining that Wells was not the only person of color on Horn Island on the day of his death as speculated
‘The Grand Jury conducted a comprehensive inquiry into the death of Mr Wells and is confident in the extensive investigation done by both Federal and State law enforcement agencies,’ the report added.
The report comes after a flurry of theories were shared by media personalities and on social media.
The View’s host Sunny Hostin even suggested Wells’ friends played a role in his death.
Lawyers Morgan Seymour, Jax Pitalo and Warren Hudson sent Hostin a letter demanding she retract, delete and apologize within 10 days for what they claim were defamatory comments she made – or face legal consequences.
Paltzik and Cox took specific aim at comments she allegedly made about the case on The View’s Behind the Tale podcast on July 13 and on a segment that aired on the talk show the following day.
On the podcast, the lawyers say, Hostin claimed there were ‘a lot of inconsistencies’ regarding Wells’ cellphone and ‘social media profiles being erased,’ an apparent reference to claims that Snapchat messages may have been deleted from Wells’ phone, as a photo of Pitalo, Seymour and Wells was displayed on camera.
Hostin also said she found it ‘extremely odd’ that ‘the three boys he was on the boat with’ were not questioned separately by police.
‘I don’t know that that’s happened here and that is shocking to me,’ she said.
In a segment that aired on The View the following day, Hostin claimed there were ‘some racial undertones’ to the case and that Wells ‘was the only black kid on an island full of kids that were white.’
The View co-host Sunny Hostin was threatened with a defamation lawsuit for comments she made about the Nolan Wells case
Wells’ parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, previously challenged the accounts given by their son’s friends about what happened on the day he died
Lawyers representing three of Wells’ friends – Morgan Seymour, Jax Pitalo and Warren Hudson – deny he was the only black kid on the island as Hostin had claimed
She further claimed the ‘three boys with him that were good friends with him’ had ‘kept his phone and didn’t give it to his parents.’
But the attorneys deny that their clients ever touched or had ‘actual possession of Nolan’s phone.’
They noted that many on the island stored their cellphones and electronic devices on their boats so they would not be damaged by the water, and witnesses have said Wells did not seem concerned his phone was onboard as the others left in separate boats.
The phone was then brought back to the mainland by a wider friend group and kept safe in another friend’s truck.
‘At no time did they alter, delete, modify or erase any data or information on Nolan’s phone,’ they argued, saying the phone was turned over to a friend of Wells’ family ‘without incident or delay.’
The attorneys further denied Wells was ‘the only black kid on an island full of kids that were white,’ as Sunny suggested, and noted that their clients had ‘repeatedly cooperated with law enforcement and turned their phones in for inspection long ago.’
They also argued that the three friends did not need to be ‘separated in different rooms’ because ‘they did nothing wrong, had nothing to do with Nolan’s tragic death and immediately stepped forward to accelerate the investigation by contacting Nolan’s mother and law enforcement.’
‘Warren, Jax and Morgan were all close with Nolan and loved him like a brother. And Nolan loved them back,’ the lawyers claimed.
‘Unlike you, Warren, Jax and Morgan welcomed the truth and care very much about learning the truth surrounding Nolan’s tragic death.’
Hostin’s remarks, taken in full, suggested that the friends ‘were colluding to hide evidence and/or obstruct the efforts to find Nolan at the very least, and that they murdered Nolan at the very worst,’ Paltzik and Cox argued.
‘It is hard to fathom the pure negligence you have shown through your multiple interviews regarding these young men and the tragic death of their friend, Nolan Wells,’ the lawyers tell Hostin.
‘Your unwillingness to research the most basic facts surrounding the incident before commenting publicly is downright baffling,’ they continue.
‘Moreover, as a former prosecutor, you of all people should know the importance of “innocent until proven guilty.” You swore an oath with that principle in mind.’
‘To put it plainly, Sunny: our clients are completely innocent and your harmful lies and complete disregard for the truth have brought shame on you, your dwindling audience and the profession we share.’
This is a breaking news story.