JACKSON COUNTY, MS. (THECOUNT) — The death of Nolan Xavier Wells, 18, has been determined to be consistent with drowning, according to findings reviewed by a Mississippi grand jury, months after the teenager disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip to Horn Island. The grand jury returned a “no true bill,” and no criminal charges were issued in connection with his death.
According to the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s autopsy report, the official manner of Wells’ death was classified as undetermined. The grand jury stated that the position, condition, time of discovery and location of Wells’ body were consistent with drowning.
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Wells’ body was found along the Horn Island shoreline on July 6, two days after he traveled to the barrier island with friends for the Independence Day holiday. His body was recovered after he was reported missing on the night of July 4.
The state conducted its autopsy on July 7. The report noted bruising on the back of Wells’ head, but the injury was not considered fatal. The examination also found no cocaine in his system, addressing rumors that had circulated following his death.
The Jackson County grand jury, consisting of 23 members, was impaneled on April 20, according to the report. Jurors reconvened September 14 and concluded their proceedings September 18. The panel reviewed evidence related to Wells’ disappearance and death before deciding not to return an indictment.
Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath announced the “no true bill” finding and said the evidence did not establish that anyone was criminally responsible for Wells’ death. In a video statement, McIlrath also rejected claims that the death was racially motivated, saying there was “absolutely no evidence” supporting that allegation.
McIlrath specifically defended Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour, who were among the individuals connected to the boating trip. The district attorney said the three were innocent and that investigators found no evidence that they were responsible for Wells’ death.
“The death of Nolan Wells has devastated our community,” McIlrath said, while accusing outside commentators and influencers of attempting to exploit the case and create division. Her comments came after the investigation drew national attention and prompted public questions about the circumstances surrounding Wells’ disappearance.
Wells’ family had repeatedly questioned the initial belief that he drowned and retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump to assist with an independent investigation. The family also arranged an independent autopsy, which listed both the cause and manner of death as undetermined pending additional investigation.
The independent examiner reported a large area of red discoloration at the back of Wells’ head that could indicate an injury. Crump’s team said the examiner did not receive all of Wells’ organs, including his throat and lungs, or the autopsy photographs needed to assess how he entered the water and what happened during his final hours.
Crump’s investigators also hired audio experts to review a Sea Tow emergency call made after one of the boats involved in the trip began taking on water. Oceanic engineering experts were reportedly brought in to examine tide patterns and the location where Wells’ body was recovered. The United Cajun Navy separately compiled a report using photographs, videos, coordinates and witness information.
According to the family’s investigation, a significant gap remained in the timeline of Wells’ final known movements. The organization placed his last reported sighting sometime between approximately 3:23 and 4:27 p.m. on July 4, while the boat he arrived on reportedly departed at approximately 4:31 p.m.
The grand jury’s decision means no indictment was issued based on the evidence presented. It does not change the medical examiner’s official classification of the manner of death as undetermined. Wells’ family has maintained that it will continue seeking answers about what happened during the final hours before his body was discovered.
Horn Island is a barrier island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast in Jackson County, near the communities of Ocean Springs and Pascagoula. The island is accessible by boat and forms part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore region.
Google Maps: Horn Island, Mississippi — approximate location connected to the investigation
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