Jackson County, Miss. – District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath announced Tuesday that her office will present all evidence related to the death of local teenager Nolan Wells to a grand jury, emphasizing that the process will be “thorough” and fully compliant with the law.
Investigation and legal constraints
Wells vanished during a Fourth of July boat outing with friends on Horn Island, a barrier island about ten miles off the Gulf Coast. His body was recovered two days later. While the state medical examiner has completed an autopsy, the findings have not been released to the public.
McIlrath explained that she cannot share details or comment on information released by others while the investigation remains active. “I would be stepping outside the bounds of the law if I were to fill that void and share information publicly,” she wrote in a statement, adding that public pressure would not influence her oath or responsibilities.
Grand jury process
The district attorney’s office clarified that convening a grand jury does not imply criminal conduct; it is standard procedure for most unnatural or suspicious deaths in the county. Once local investigators finish their work, the case file—including the autopsy report—will be submitted to the grand jury, which will decide whether the death warrants criminal charges.
McIlrath reiterated her commitment to presenting “complete evidence” so the grand jury can reach a decision based on the “actual truth” and an understanding of the law.
Family’s call for transparency
Wells would have turned 19 on Wednesday. His family, represented by civil‑rights attorney Ben Crump, plans to attend a prayer rally on his birthday to honor his life and to continue urging full transparency from state investigators.
“The Wells family continues to seek answers about what happened to Nolan and is calling for the release of the official autopsy findings and full transparency from state investigators,” Crump’s office said.
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, expressed the growing difficulty of coping as the birthday approaches, saying, “Only thing we want to know is what happened.”
Private autopsy findings
A private autopsy commissioned by the family reported the cause and manner of death as “undetermined pending investigation,” noting several limitations in the report.
ABC News contributors Sasha Pezenik and Tesfaye Negussie provided additional reporting for this story.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
