Nolan Wells Autopsy Goes to Grand Jury as Independent Probe Seeks Missing Throat

Q: Will the unreleased state autopsy finally expose the truth behind the mysterious red mark on Nolan Wells' head?

Not yet. The unreleased state autopsy could clarify whether the red mark on Nolan Wells’ head was a true injury, postmortem change, or something else, but the available reporting does not support saying it will “finally expose the truth” on its own. What is known is limited. The family’s independent autopsy described a “focal area of red discoloration” in the soft tissue at the back of Wells’ head. But that exam also said the body’s decomposition made interpretation difficult, and the pathologist found no visible skull fractures or skin lacerations that would definitively tie the mark to blunt-force trauma. The independent autopsy left both cause and manner of death “undetermined pending investigation.” The state autopsy may be more informative because it was performed earlier, before further delay, and likely included tissue collection and a fuller forensic review. Even so, officials have not released the findings, and they are expected to be considered alongside toxicology, witness statements, digital evidence, photos, video, and the boat-call audio before being presented to a grand jury. So the red mark remains an unresolved detail, not proven evidence of an assault. The state autopsy could help explain it, but the answer will likely come from the combined investigation rather than a single report.

3 articles · Updated · WLBT · Jul 31

Official autopsy results in Nolan Wells' death have been completed and will be withheld from the public until a grand jury reviews them, in line with Jackson County practice for non-natural deaths.
Attorney Ben Crump said his independent team is still investigating how Wells' body was found in the same location where he was last seen, using oceanic engineering experts and pursuing a joint phone inspection with prosecutors and the FBI.
An independent pathologist in Washington is also trying to obtain Wells' throat for examination after it was missing during the second autopsy.
A California man, Joseph Dumarce, was arrested over an alleged social media threat against Judge Ashlee Cole, as Mississippi officials say they are cracking down on threats tied to the case.