Independent Autopsy in 18-Year-Old Nolan Wells Death Proves Inconclusive as Mississippi Drowning Probe Continues

Q: A teen's phone was wiped after he was found dead. What secrets about his final hours were deleted?

No one yet knows exactly what was deleted from Nolan Wells’s phone, but the missing material appears to be the digital record of his final hours: Snapchat posts, saved videos, messages, and location data that could show where he was, who he was with, and what happened before he died. His family says the phone, returned by friends after his disappearance, showed unusual gaps. Wells’s mother found no Snapchat photos or videos from July 4, which she said was out of character because he typically documented his activities. She also said the phone’s location history did not line up across apps: Life360 suggested the phone was back on land, while Snapchat indicated something different. Those gaps matter because they could help resolve key disputes in the case. The family and their lawyers say the phone may clarify whether Wells intended to stay on Horn Island, whether he was trying to return to the boat, whether there was any altercation, and why his phone ended up at a friend’s house rather than with him. Authorities have also asked for original photos and videos from the island, including any showing unusual activity. So far, there is no public proof of what, if anything, was intentionally wiped. The family’s independent experts and investigators, with FBI assistance, are examining the device. Ben Crump has said the review should determine whether messages or media were deleted and whether the phone still contains recoverable evidence about Wells’s last movements and contacts.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 22

Ben Crump said Wednesday that a family-requested independent autopsy in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells was largely inconclusive, leaving key questions unresolved.
Wells, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, was found dead after taking a boat with friends to a barrier island on July 4; authorities say they believe he drowned and do not currently suspect foul play.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating and has released little information, while results from the state autopsy have not yet been made public.
The case has drawn national attention as activists, elected officials and social media users questioned the circumstances, amid rumors and Mississippi’s long history of racial injustice in cases involving Black victims.