Nolan Wells’ body was found off Horn Island, Mississippi, on July 6, two days after he visited the island with friends to celebrate the Fourth of July
NEED TO KNOW
- Nolan Wells’ body was found off Horn Island, Mississippi, on July 6, two days after he visited the island with friends to celebrate the Fourth of July
- His parents have called for a thorough and transparent investigation into his death
- Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia said the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter urging the Justice Department to determine whether a federal investigation into Wells’ death and disappearance is warranted
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are calling for an independent federal review of the disappearance and death of Nolan Wells.
Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath, who represents Georgia, joined Wells’ parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, as well as their attorneys, at a news conference in Atlanta on Thursday, Aug. 13.
She said the caucus had sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel urging the Justice Department to determine whether a federal investigation was warranted.
On the Fourth of July, Wells, 18, traveled by boat with his friends to Horn Island — land that is largely federally owned — but did not return with the group. His body was found two days later off the island’s coast.
“This family stands here demanding answers,” McBath said at Thursday’s news conference. “The family deserves answers.”
“We want to make sure that every stone is unturned because his life matters,” McBath added. “We must stand up and we must demand accountability for this family’s loss.”
McBath’s son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot during a dispute over loud music while sitting in a car outside a Jacksonville, Fla., gas station in 2012. The shooter, Michael Dunn, tried to use the state’s Stand Your Ground law in his defense but was convicted and is serving a life sentence.
On Thursday, Lawmakers said they were giving federal officials seven days to explain what actions they have taken or plan to take.
The Justice Department and FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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As questions continue to swirl around Wells’ final hours, some of his friends have said he met a young woman on the island and chose to stay behind.
Wells’ parents’ have publicly questioned those accounts, including why he would remain on the island without his cellphone or keys, which his parents retrieved after he was reported missing that evening.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said early on that Wells’ friends were cooperating with authorities and that investigators did not suspect foul play. However, Wells’ parents said that was a rush to judgment and called for a thorough and transparent investigation into how their son spent his final moments.
Both the sheriff’s department and the family’s legal team, led by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, have asked people who were on the island that day to come forward.
The results of an official autopsy have not been released. Preliminary findings from an independent autopsy commissioned on the family’s behalf found that the cause and manner of Wells’ death could not be determined and that further investigation was needed.
The report found no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries but noted a “red discoloration” on the back of Wells’ skull that the forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, said merits further investigation.
Wells, a student-athlete who was a rising sophomore at Southwest Mississippi Community College, would have turned 19 on Aug. 19. His family plans to host a prayer rally in Mississippi and has asked people to participate in a national day of prayer in his honor. Christine Wonsley told reporters on Thursday that, as the day gets closer, it has become more challenging to face.
“That realization is really sinking in that we don’t have our son physically here anymore, and I think a lot of people have forgotten,” she said through tears. “Only thing we want to know is what happened. That’s all we want to know is what happened to our son. Because many parents out there, you still have your children. You still can hug them. You still can call them. You still can celebrate their life with them, and we do not have that anymore.”
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