A July 4 boat trip, an 18-year-old’s death and a family’s search for answers in the Deep South
Summary
Eighteen-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells died after a July 4 boat trip to an island off the Mississippi coast. His family demands a full and clear investigation because they doubt the official explanation of accidental drowning.Key Facts
- Nolan Wells went on a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, an uninhabited island 7 miles from Mississippi’s coast, on July 4, 2026.
- Wells was found dead two days later along the shore of Horn Island.
- Wells’ parents question official claims that Wells told his friends to leave and that he accidentally drowned despite being a strong swimmer.
- About 200 people were on the island that day, according to the family’s lawyers.
- The family has hired a forensic pathologist in Washington, D.C. for an independent autopsy and is waiting for the state’s official autopsy results.
- They plan to recover deleted messages from Wells' cellphone and want any witnesses or videos that could explain what happened to come forward.
- The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said friends on the trip are cooperating and do not suspect foul play.
- Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and activist Rev. Al Sharpton are involved in supporting the family.
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