A grand jury declined to bring criminal charges in the death of Mississippi teenager Nolan Wells, who was found dead on Horn Island on July 6, 2026, two days after a boating trip with friends.
District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said on September 21, 2026, that 25 grand jurors heard testimony from 43 witnesses, including an independent pathologist hired by the family.
The panel determined there was insufficient evidence of criminal conduct or racial motivation.
Despite that decision, legal representatives for the Wells family held a press conference detailing findings from an examination of the 18-year-old's smartphone and official medical reports.
They noted that data was deleted after his disappearance.
Phone Data Shows Deletions and Activity
Andrew Garrett, a forensic expert with Garrett Discovery, explained that analysis revealed interactions occurred on Wells' phone before and after his death until his family retrieved the device from his companions.
Garrett said digital records confirm content was deleted during that window, though his team could not determine the intent behind the deletions.
"I can't talk to intent; unfortunately, that's not my field of expertise, psychology," Garrett said.
Digital tracking showed the phone stayed on the boat the entire day, with Wells last accessing it around 2:18 p.
m.
Group chat logs retrieved from social media platforms contained discussions among his friends regarding racial concerns on Horn Island.
Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney representing the family, voiced dissatisfaction with the grand jury outcome during media briefings.
"Nolan's family will not rest until we know what happened to him, and neither will we," Crump said.
Crump noted that the initial grand jury decision left unresolved issues regarding how the Southwest Mississippi Community College football player died.
"Leaves us with more questions than answers," Crump said.
Crump emphasized that group chat messages showed even Wells' companions discussed potential racial hostility present on the island.
"It is very interesting to know that not only were people across America concerned with the history of the state of Mississippi — whether race would be an issue — but the messages on his phone and the snaps will show some of his own friends were concerned about people on Horn Island can be racist," Crump said.
Crump also read aloud a transcript of a Snapchat message sent between friends discussing suspicious individuals observed near their vessel on the day of the excursion.
The message described "real sketchy looking guys behind us in two boats" and noted one was Black and one was white.
It also mentioned that at least one of the men was apparently a felon and that a sheriff had warned, "you wouldn't want to be left alone with them, especially if they're really drunk."
The transcript ended with uncertainty: "There are so many people out there so I don't know if they could've even done something, but I don't know."
Autopsy Findings and Official Response
Attorney Liza Park highlighted that both state and independent autopsies classified the official cause and manner of death as undetermined.
Park noted two 2-inch bruises on the back of Wells' head occurring shortly before death.
She further detailed that the medical examiner found no water, fluid, or debris inside Wells' throat, stomach, or lungs, nor any internal organ abnormalities contributing to his death.
"What this means is that there's no water in the stomach. There's no water in the lungs.
There's no water in the throat," Park said.
District Attorney Myers McIlrath previously released a video message stating that law enforcement found no evidence to substantiate criminal allegations or bias against those who accompanied Wells to Horn Island.
"There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan's death and disappearance were racially motivated," Myers McIlrath said.
Official grand jury documentation corroborated that individuals who traveled with Wells cooperated fully by surrendering mobile devices, surveillance footage, and GPS data.
The report also noted that visitors frequently depart Horn Island on different vessels during busy holiday weekends.
"The grand jury finds no credible evidence to support the public allegations that any persons who rode to or from Horn Island on July 4, 2026 ...
engaged in any criminal conduct related to the death of Mr. Wells," the report said.
The family's legal team stated they received the official state autopsy report on September 23, 2026, after extended communication with the district attorney's office regarding protocol requirements for inspecting the physical phone.
