Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family of Nolan Wells, has amplified a theory suggesting the 18-year-old may have returned to land before his death. Wells was found deceased in waters near Horn Island, an uninhabited barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, two days after he disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip with friends.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has stated there is currently no evidence of foul play, but the family is pursuing an independent investigation, with some believing the circumstances surrounding Wells' death are questionable.
Crump shared a social media post that proposed Wells might have been at a pool party in Jackson County before 1:00 AM on July 5. The post, which Crump noted was unconfirmed rumor, included an image of a group at a pool, with a figure in the background circled and suggested to be Wells. This theory, if true, would imply Wells was taken back to the mainland and later returned to the island, where he was discovered on July 6 by a U.S. Park Service ranger.
Meanwhile, authorities are examining a viral video that has been circulated online, reportedly showing an altercation involving Wells on Horn Island shortly before he went missing. Crump had previously stated that the video appeared to capture Wells demanding his phone. However, Tracestin Shepherd, a friend of Wells, told Rolling Stone that the video actually shows him, Shepherd, in a verbal dispute. Shepherd explained that the shouting heard in the video was him arguing with his girlfriend after an acquaintance became involved. He stated he had initially intended to leave in his boat but changed his mind. According to Shepherd, his girlfriend, uncle, and another individual present in the video corroborated his account. The owner of the video reportedly told TMZ that an altercation did occur, but the footage did not capture the fight itself. Another friend, Jayvon Williams, told the outlet that a fight did happen but that Wells was not involved.