Jackson County Grand Jury Finds No Charges in 18-Year-Old Nolan Wells' Death

3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Sep 22

A 23-member Jackson County grand jury found no criminal charges are warranted in Nolan Wells' death, concluding the 18-year-old's body and recovery circumstances were consistent with drowning.
Forty-three witnesses and physical, digital and autopsy evidence produced no credible support for allegations that anyone on the three boats engaged in criminal conduct related to his July 4 disappearance.
The report said Wells had no cocaine in his system, no fatal injury or disease, and a bruise on the back of his head was not fatal; one witness said he had earlier slipped awkwardly off a boat.
Jurors also said Wells bought alcohol with a fake ID, no adult supplied it to him, and his phone returning to the mainland without him was not unusual because other phones did too.
The panel sharply rejected online accusations and threats against boat occupants and their families, while noting the case can return to a grand jury if credible evidence later emerges.