Nolan Wells Death Draws National Scrutiny as Ben Crump Seeks Answers in 18-Year-Old's Case
Updated
Updated · NPR · Jul 9
Nolan Wells Death Draws National Scrutiny as Ben Crump Seeks Answers in 18-Year-Old's Case
3 articles · Updated · NPR · Jul 9
Summary
An 18-year-old Mississippi student-athlete found dead on Horn Island after disappearing during a July 4 boat trip is drawing national attention beyond the initial missing-person case.
Investigators have disclosed little beyond a timeline: Wells was last seen around 3 or 4 p.m., did not return with his group from the island 6 miles off Ocean Springs, and his mother reported him missing that evening.
No evidence of foul play has been announced, and local reporting notes strong currents near the tip of Horn Island, where drownings have occurred.
Social media scrutiny has centered on the fact that Wells was Black and had traveled with white friends who returned safely; his family has now hired Ben Crump to press for transparency and access to evidence, including autopsy findings.