The family of Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old who was found dead on Horn Island after a Fourth of July celebration, has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
Crump, who is known for representing the family of George Floyd, stated that Nolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate, and friend who went to celebrate the holiday and never returned. "His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth. We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light, and we call on investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves," Crump said in a statement.
Wells' body was discovered by a park ranger on the northwest tip of Horn Island around 9 a.m. on Monday. He had been on the island with friends for the holiday weekend and was last seen around 3 p.m. on Saturday. His mother reported him missing in the early hours of Sunday, which initiated a two-day search.
Authorities told ABC News that foul play is not suspected and that Wells is suspected of drowning. "There's no information that we have right now that would lead us to believe that a crime has occurred," Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told the outlet. However, a viral clip reportedly showed an intense argument on the island, though it is unclear if Wells was involved.
Nolan Xavier Wells was a student athlete who played college football for Southwest Mississippi Community College and previously for Ocean Springs High School. His coaches and the college president expressed devastation and shared memories of Wells as a respected and well-liked young man.
His friends had reportedly left the island earlier than Wells, as he had chosen to stay behind. His autopsy is pending, and the cause and manner of his death have not yet been released.
