Civil rights leader Rev.
Al Sharpton announced a $100,000 reward on July 20, 2026, during a memorial service in Mississippi for answers regarding the death of Nolan Xavier Wells.
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Wells, an 18-year-old college football player, disappeared on July 4 after traveling to Horn Island with high school friends.
Authorities recovered his body two days later off the coast.
During the funeral, family members remembered the Southwest Mississippi Community College athlete before civil rights figures addressed the crowd.
“He had a way of making people feel seen, welcomed and valued,” said his mother, Christine Wonsley.
Sharpton announced the financial reward, noting that actor Tyler Perry funded half of the total sum alongside funeral expenses.
“Somebody knows something,” said Sharpton.
Sharpton called for complete transparency from local authorities, citing the history of racial violence in the region. Attendees included filmmaker Spike Lee and former NFL player Terrell Owens.
“Let every stone be rolled back and every veil be torn asunder and let truth pop out of the ground like a flower,” said Sharpton.
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Officials noted that Wells remained on the island while his companions returned to the mainland.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter stated that initial interviews indicated friends believed Wells was securing alternative transportation.
“Before we can medicate and heal today, we’ve got to look at your history,” said Sharpton.
At a news conference following the service, family attorney Ben Crump noted that independent autopsy results remain pending while local prosecutors prepare to present investigative findings to a grand jury.
“They went out on the boat, the boat came back, and Nolan washed up on the shore two days later dead,” said Crump.
“Wouldn’t you want answers?”
Wells played wide receiver and aimed to join a Division I college football program before his death.
“I nicknamed you Mr. Cool Hands because it seemed like you were catching a touchdown every game,” said his father, Elmore Wonsley.
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Investigators are currently reviewing phone records and waiting for final official autopsy releases as the grand jury review approaches.
