Six-Year Drowning Record Adds New Questions as Wells’ Cause and Manner of Death Remain Undetermined
New questions are surrounding the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells after records revealed that Horn Island, the Mississippi barrier island where his body was found, had gone six years without a reported drowning death.
The records, obtained from the Jackson County Coroner’s Office and first reported by PEOPLE, show no drowning fatalities were recorded at Horn Island during that period. The finding received renewed attention this week after Nancy Grace discussed it during a Sept. 9 episode of “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.”
That history does not prove Wells could not have drowned. Gulf waters surrounding Horn Island can include currents, changing depths and other hazards. But the rarity of documented drownings there is adding to questions already surrounding what happened to Wells during a Fourth of July outing with friends.
Wells disappeared July 4 after traveling by boat to Horn Island with a group of friends. His body was found near the island two days later.
Authorities initially suspected drowning and said there was no early evidence of foul play. But an independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family later classified both his cause and manner of death as undetermined pending further investigation.
Dr. Roger Mitchell, the forensic pathologist who performed the independent examination, cited significant decomposition and other limitations that prevented him from reaching a definitive conclusion. Mitchell reported no fractures or deep-tissue injuries but said available evidence did not allow him to rule out whether non-accidental factors contributed to Wells’ death.
The case remains listed as open, with investigators still having made no final public determination about the manner of Wells’ death.
Official Autopsy Still Outside Public View
Mississippi’s State Medical Examiner has completed its autopsy, but those findings have not been released publicly.
Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath has said the autopsy and other evidence will be presented to a grand jury before the findings are made public. The grand jury will review the circumstances surrounding Wells’ death and determine whether criminal action is warranted.
Related: Nolan Wells Medical Examiner Also Handled Trey Reed Case, Drawing Scrutiny
That leaves one of the case’s most important pieces of evidence outside public view while Wells’ family continues pressing for answers.
The six-year drowning record does not establish how Wells died. It does, however, add context to a case in which the cause and manner of death remain officially unresolved and the most consequential government findings have yet to be released.
