Three young men from Mississippi – Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour – have taken former NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens to federal court, accusing him of defamation after he posted a call for their immediate arrest on the social‑media platform X.
Background of the case
Wells, an 18‑year‑old college student, disappeared during a Fourth of July celebration on Horn Island and was later found dead off the island’s coast. The friends, all under 21 and therefore minors under Mississippi law, were part of the group that traveled by boat to the island with Wells.
In a September 26 post that remains online, Owens shared an Instagram reel that alleged the three men had deleted Snapchat messages from Wells’ phone after his death and suggested they might have been involved in his killing. Owens wrote, “ARREST THEM IMMEDIATELY!!”
Legal filing
The fathers of Hudson, Pitalo and Seymour filed the lawsuit on their sons’ behalf, claiming Owens circulated a false narrative that portrayed them as murderers and participants in a cover‑up. The complaint states there was “absolutely no evidence to prompt an arrest” and that “there was no probable cause to arrest Plaintiffs because they had not committed a crime.”
Owens, 52, has not responded to requests for comment through his social‑media accounts or his representation at SMAC Entertainment.
Investigative findings
Digital‑forensics expert Andrew Garrett, hired by civil‑rights attorney Benjamin Crump, examined Wells’ phone and found no access between 2:18 p.m. on July 4, when Wells last unlocked the device, and 3:14 a.m. on July 5, when his parents gained access. Garrett also clarified that Snapchat messages can disappear from a recipient’s phone when the sender remotely deletes them.
A grand jury earlier this month concluded Wells’ death was “consistent with drowning” and declined to recommend charges against anyone. However, the jury noted bruising on the back of Wells’ head and an independent autopsy commissioned by the family identified “apparent acute blunt force injuries” prior to death, leaving the cause officially “undetermined.”
Family’s call for further investigation
Wells’ father, Elmore Wonsley, urged the federal government to step in, stating, “Our son was found on federal land and we are asking the FBI to conduct a full investigation.”
The lawsuit seeks damages for the reputational harm caused by Owens’ post and aims to hold the former athlete accountable for spreading false accusations.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
