New Nolan Wells autopsy details cast fresh doubt on drowning finding

25 Sep 2026 • 8:25 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

New Nolan Wells autopsy details cast fresh doubt on drowning finding

  • Civil rights attorney Ben Crump released forensic data from Nolan Wells' cellphone and autopsy after a Mississippi grand jury found no criminal conduct in the 18-year-old's death.
  • Wells' family and attorneys are challenging the grand jury findings, calling for a federal investigation into his death following a July 4 trip to Horn Island.
  • Phone analysis showed Wells unlocked his device via facial recognition on a boat, and while some Snapchat messages were deleted, no evidence indicates anyone else unlocked it afterward.
  • Although the grand jury stated the death was consistent with drowning, official and independent autopsies listed the cause as undetermined, noting no water in his lungs, throat, or stomach.
  • Autopsies also documented fresh bruising on Wells' head, which the grand jury concluded was non-fatal and possibly linked to a witness report of him slipping off a boat.

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