Grand jury declines to file charges in Nolan Wells case
22 september 2026 в 17:13
In Jackson County, Mississippi, a grand jury declined to file criminal charges in connection with the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, whose body was found after a boating trip on July 4. The jury’s report states that no credible evidence was found to support allegations of wrongdoing by individuals on the boats heading to Horn Island.
In a report published on September 21, it is claimed that the accusations against the passengers of the boats Triton, Palm Beach, and Tideline are unfounded and stem from public discontent and personal animosity. It also states that the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Wells' body are consistent with drowning. The chief medical examiner for the state of Mississippi and another physician concluded that the cause and manner of Wells' death are undetermined, and drowning is considered a diagnosis of exclusion.
Nolan Wells, a Black teenager, was reported missing after he did not return from a boating trip to Horn Island with friends. According to Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter, Wells' friends claimed he decided to stay on the island when the group returned. Wells' body was found two days later at the northwest end of the island.
Nolan’s parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, have called for an investigation into the circumstances of his death. Christine expressed her confusion in an interview with Good Morning America in July regarding why her son would stay on the island without friends, noting that they always taught him to stay in a group.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the Wells family, stated to CBS News that he urged the prosecutor to continue the investigation. He noted that the grand jury’s findings leave more questions than answers, and the Wells family will not rest until they find out what happened to him.
In a report published on September 21, it is claimed that the accusations against the passengers of the boats Triton, Palm Beach, and Tideline are unfounded and stem from public discontent and personal animosity. It also states that the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Wells' body are consistent with drowning. The chief medical examiner for the state of Mississippi and another physician concluded that the cause and manner of Wells' death are undetermined, and drowning is considered a diagnosis of exclusion.
Nolan Wells, a Black teenager, was reported missing after he did not return from a boating trip to Horn Island with friends. According to Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter, Wells' friends claimed he decided to stay on the island when the group returned. Wells' body was found two days later at the northwest end of the island.
Nolan’s parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, have called for an investigation into the circumstances of his death. Christine expressed her confusion in an interview with Good Morning America in July regarding why her son would stay on the island without friends, noting that they always taught him to stay in a group.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the Wells family, stated to CBS News that he urged the prosecutor to continue the investigation. He noted that the grand jury’s findings leave more questions than answers, and the Wells family will not rest until they find out what happened to him.
© Kolganov Andrey
