Jackson County, Miss. – District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath announced Monday that a grand jury declined to bring criminal charges in the death of 18‑year‑old Nolan Wells. In a video message, the DA explained the panel issued a “no true bill,” indicating it found insufficient evidence to indict anyone.
Grand jury findings
The partially redacted grand jury report, posted to the DA’s Facebook page, states the 23‑member panel – a cross‑section of citizens aged 27 to 68, including 12 Caucasians, five African Americans, one Asian, two Hispanics, two Native Americans and one who identified as “other” – found no credible evidence that anyone who rode to or from Horn Island on July 4, 2026 engaged in criminal conduct related to Wells’ death.
The report notes Wells was last seen on July 4 while friends celebrated the holiday on Horn Island, a barrier reef accessible only by boat. Friends said their boat began taking on water, prompting an early departure; Wells chose to stay and later attempted to catch a ride back. The grand jury concluded the position, condition, time of discovery and location of Wells’ body are consistent with drowning and found no evidence of a physical altercation or argument.
Official statements
“There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan’s disappearance and death were racially motivated,” Myers McIlrath said. “Nolan’s friends loved Nolan, and Nolan loved them. Nolan chose to stay on the island that day, and there is not a scintilla of evidence to contradict that.”
She also criticized civil‑rights attorney Ben Crump, who had suggested race might have played a role. “I’m not suggesting that a grieving mother police the rumors surrounding her child’s death,” the DA said. “What I am suggesting is that the Crump team knew better but did not do better.”
Crump’s response
Crump’s team responded that the grand jury result leaves “more questions than answers.” They pointed to an independent autopsy that documented bruises on the back of Wells’ head and back, as well as traces of blood and recent blunt‑force injuries. “We don’t know how Nolan died, and neither does the State of Mississippi. Mississippi must keep investigating,” Crump said.
The state’s chief medical examiner and a forensic pathologist retained by the family both listed the cause and manner of death as “undetermined,” noting that drowning remains a diagnosis of exclusion but has not been ruled out.
Community reaction
Wells’ funeral on July 20 drew hundreds of mourners. His mother, Christine Wells‑Wonsley, expressed the family’s grief, saying, “Your absence has left an emptiness that can never truly be filled. In a world that can often feel dark, be like Nolan, be the light that brightens the lives of those around you.”
The grand jury issued 132 subpoenas, heard from 43 witnesses and invited seven people to testify, according to the report. While the investigation has concluded for now, local officials say the case will remain open for any new evidence that may emerge.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
