Preliminary independent autopsy results for Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old whose body was found on July 6 along the shoreline of Horn Island off the Mississippi coast, have been released. The cause of death has not been determined, according to the results announced on Wednesday.

Investigation Ongoing

An independent investigator ruled the manner of death to be undetermined pending investigation, family attorney Ben Crump said. The independent autopsy, which was requested by Wells’ family and was privately funded, is separate from the official autopsy performed by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office on July 7.

Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the independent autopsy, found discoloration in the soft tissue at the back of Wells’ head, but it was unclear what caused it. Mitchell noted that because it was the second autopsy and the body had decomposed, he could not tell if there were bruises or abrasions. He also could not examine Wells’ throat and lungs because they were not included with the body.

The results of the first autopsy and the toxicology report have not been released. Wells and his friends went on a Fourth of July boat trip to Horn Island, an uninhabited stretch of federally protected land off the Mississippi coast that authorities said was busy with holiday revelers.

When photos from the trip showed the Black teen surrounded by white friends, his death sparked nationwide attention and speculation that race may have played a role. The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said, ‘We have more questions than answers. We will continue to persist.’ The investigation into Wells’ death is ongoing.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.