The Recording Reveals Nolan Wells’ Friends Asking for Assistance Before Leaving Horn Island, as Questions About His Death Remain Unanswered
Newly released audio captures Nolan Wells’ friends calling for help with their malfunctioning boat shortly before they left Horn Island without the 18-year-old student-athlete, adding another piece to the still-incomplete timeline surrounding his death.
NBC News obtained the recording through a public records request. In the audio, members of the group urgently seek towing assistance after their boat reportedly began taking on water during the July Fourth outing off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.
“Can y’all please come?” one caller is heard asking.
A dispatcher then asks whether everyone aboard the vessel is accounted for and in good health. The caller responds that they are.
The exchange may clarify why the group needed to leave the uninhabited barrier island, but it does not answer the question at the center of the investigation: why Wells did not leave with them.
The recording aligns with an account previously provided by the mother of one of Wells’ friends, who said the boat’s bilge pump had failed and the group departed after Wells allegedly decided to remain on the island and return with other people.
Related: Nolan Wells’ Friend Shares New Account as Family Questions Conflicting Stories
Tracking information reported alongside the recording indicates the boat left Horn Island shortly after 4:30 p.m. and was towed back to shore by approximately 5:44 p.m.
Wells had traveled to Horn Island with friends on July 4. Authorities said he was last seen at approximately 3 p.m. His family reported him missing after he failed to return home, prompting a search involving law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard and volunteers.
His body was discovered in the water near the west end of the island on July 6.
Authorities have said they have not uncovered immediate evidence of foul play. However, Wells’ family has questioned the accounts surrounding his final hours, including claims that he voluntarily stayed behind without his phone, keys or a confirmed way back to the mainland.
It also remains unclear whether Wells was alone when the boat departed or who may have seen him afterward.
Family and Prosecutors to Examine Wells’ Phone
Wells’ cellphone has become another major focus of the investigation.
His parents have said they believe photographs, messages or other content may have been removed from the device after his disappearance. Wells’ friends reportedly returned from the island with his phone and keys, circumstances the family has repeatedly questioned.
Following a meeting with Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath, the family agreed to participate in a joint inspection of the phone with prosecutors and investigators.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, described the meeting with the district attorney as “respectful.” Crump said the completed investigation will be presented to a grand jury, which can review the evidence and determine whether further legal action is warranted.
McIlrath told NBC News that presenting an unexplained death to a grand jury is standard procedure and should not be viewed as evidence that authorities believe a crime occurred.
Cause of Death Remains Undetermined
Official autopsy and toxicology findings have not been publicly released. The family has also requested an independent autopsy as it continues pressing for greater transparency.
Jackson County investigators have asked anyone who was on or near Horn Island on July 4 to provide original photographs, videos or information involving Wells. Authorities have specifically requested material from the island’s northwest section, where a large Independence Day gathering was held.
The newly released call is among the clearest pieces of evidence to emerge publicly from the group’s departure. Still, it primarily explains the boat emergency—not what happened to Wells after his friends left.
Until cellphone evidence, witness accounts and medical findings provide additional answers, the circumstances surrounding Nolan Wells’ death remain unresolved.
Funeral Services Announced
Wells’ family has announced that funeral services will be held Monday, July 20, at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs. Visitation is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m., followed by the funeral at 11 a.m. Arrangements are being handled by Lockett Williams Mortuary Inc. in Gulfport, according to a notice shared by his mother, Christine Wonsley.
