A forensic expert has stated that the state autopsy of Nolan Wells, 18, overlooked a crucial bodily part in determining his cause of death, calling the omission in the report shocking.
The Mississippi State Medical Examiner's autopsy report listed Wells' cause and manner of death as undetermined. However, Dr. Priya Banerjee, a board-certified forensic pathologist not involved in the case, told People that the report did not mention the sphenoid sinus. This sinus, located at the base of the skull, can contain fluid in drowning victims and is considered a significant indicator in such cases, alongside the lungs, stomach, and airways.
"The pathologist did not check the sphenoid sinus. It’s not even mentioned," Banerjee stated. "In a case like this … I was shocked to see how limited in scope it is, and then she [the examiner] doesn’t check the sphenoid."
Wells, a college football player, was found dead two days after he disappeared during a July 4 boating trip with friends to Horn Island. The state autopsy findings were released by his family's attorney. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family also yielded undetermined results.
A Jackson County grand jury report released last week concluded that Wells' death was consistent with drowning and found no evidence of foul play or that the death was racially motivated. Banerjee agreed with the drowning conclusion, based on the autopsy's exclusion of other major traumas.
"There is no A equals B for drowning," Banerjee explained, adding that other clear indicators, like a gunshot wound, would be present if that were the cause. While Wells had bruising on the back of his head, the grand jury determined it was non-lethal and potentially occurred when he slipped off a boat. A witness testified that Wells continued to socialize after the fall and did not appear injured.
Banerjee noted that fluid in the lungs, while not excessively heavy in the autopsy, was noted as being heavier than normal. She suggested that this, in the context of decomposition, likely indicates the presence of water consistent with drowning. She also pointed out that fluid in the stomach and airways are other indicators, though not all three are required for a drowning diagnosis.
"You have to swallow water to get in your stomach," she said. "You have to aspirate it to get it into your lungs and you have to breathe it in through your nose to get it into the sinus."
Toxicology results in the state autopsy indicated Wells tested positive for nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol. Banerjee suggested that decomposition could have affected these results, as bacterial activity can produce alcohol. The grand jury report found no evidence to support allegations that anyone involved in the boating trip contributed to Wells' death.
District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath stated that the grand jury had access to a comprehensive set of facts and that their conclusion of drowning, without any charges, should be considered fair. "The grand jury had a much more holistic view of the case, many, many more facts," Banerjee commented. "But the fact that they came back with drowning and didn’t charge anybody, I’m just going to have to believe that that conclusion is fair. I don’t know."