Families of Nolan Wells and Trey Reed Have Sought Independent Examinations as Advocates Question Mississippi’s Handling of Several Black Deaths
Mississippi’s chief medical examiner is facing renewed scrutiny over her involvement in several disputed death investigations involving Black residents, including the cases of Nolan Wells and Demartravion “Trey” Reed.
Dr. Staci Turner’s office conducted the state examinations in both cases. The families have challenged early conclusions or questioned how authorities handled the investigations, prompting them to seek independent forensic reviews.
The growing attention comes as Wells’ family continues pressing authorities for answers about what happened to the 18-year-old athlete during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island.
Wells disappeared after traveling by boat with friends to the Mississippi barrier island on July 4. His body was recovered near the island two days later.
Local authorities initially said there were no apparent signs of foul play and publicly discussed accidental drowning as the working theory. However, the official state autopsy and toxicology results have not been released.
An independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family listed both the cause and manner of death as “undetermined pending investigation.” The examination found no fractures or deep-tissue injuries, but it documented red discoloration behind Wells’ head that requires further investigation. Decomposition and the removal of organs during the state examination limited what the independent pathologist could determine.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said the independent examination did not establish foul play, but it also could not rule out whether a nonaccidental factor contributed to Wells’ death.
“The only question we have is: What happened to our son?” Wells’ mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, said during a news conference announcing the findings.
The family has criticized authorities for publicly advancing an accidental-death narrative before the investigation and official forensic testing were complete.
Turner’s Office Also Ruled Trey Reed’s Death a Suicide
According to Atlanta Black Star, Turner’s office also handled the examination of Reed, a 21-year-old Delta State University student who was found hanging from a tree on the university’s campus in September 2025.
State officials classified Reed’s death as a suicide by hanging and said the autopsy found no evidence that he had been assaulted before his death. Reed’s family disputed the conclusion and retained Crump and attorney Vanessa Jones to pursue an independent investigation.
Related: Calls for Justice After Trey Reed’s Death Ruled a Suicide in Mississippi
The family ordered a second autopsy from forensic pathologist Dr. Matthias Okoye. Those findings have not been publicly released.
Although investigators said there was no evidence of foul play, the circumstances surrounding Reed’s death drew national attention because of Mississippi’s history of racial violence and lynchings.
Damien Cameron Review Contradicted State Finding
Advocates have also cited the 2021 death of Damien Cameron, a 29-year-old Black man who died after Rankin County sheriff’s deputies restrained and repeatedly shocked him with Tasers.
Turner ruled Cameron’s cause of death undetermined despite an autopsy that documented severe swelling, facial trauma and internal bleeding in his neck. A grand jury later declined to indict the deputies.
In 2023, three independent forensic pathologists reviewed the evidence and concluded Cameron’s death was a homicide. One of the deputies involved was later sentenced to federal prison for his role in the unrelated Rankin County “Goon Squad” torture cases.
Atlanta Black Star Advocates also highlighted the 2022 drowning death of 13-year-old Channon Wilson. His death was ruled accidental, but publicly available records do not establish that Turner personally conducted an examination or directly handled that case.
Of the cases receiving renewed attention, Cameron’s is the only one in which an independent forensic review has directly contradicted the state’s determination. The Wells and Reed cases remain unresolved as their families continue seeking complete records, independent answers and greater transparency from Mississippi authorities.
