The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has formally requested that the Department of Justice (DOJ) initiate a federal review into the disappearance and death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells. The announcement was made on Thursday by lawmakers, Wells' family, and supporters during a press conference held in Atlanta.
Rep. Lucy McBath, a Georgia Democrat, joined Wells' family, their attorney Ben Crump, and Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention to voice the demand for an "independent federal review of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and death" of the Mississippi teen. "All of our children's and our families' lives matter, and we must fight back," McBath stated.
The DOJ confirmed that it has received the CBC's letter and is reviewing it. Wells vanished on July 4th after a boat trip with friends to one of the Gulf Coast's barrier islands. He was last seen on Horn Island, approximately 10 miles from the mainland, and his body was recovered several days later. No charges have been filed in connection with the incident.
Local authorities, including the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and the Jackson County District Attorney's office, are conducting their own investigations. The sheriff has stated that investigators are working diligently to determine what occurred, and that there was no initial indication of a crime. The findings from the state's autopsy have not yet been released.
Once the local investigation concludes, case materials, including the state autopsy report, will be presented to a grand jury. The district attorney's office has noted that convening a grand jury is standard procedure for suspicious deaths and does not necessarily imply criminality. A private autopsy commissioned by the Wells family found the cause and manner of death to be undetermined, with the pathologist citing limitations in the report.
Christine Wonsley, Wells' mother, expressed her ongoing grief and the family's desire to understand the events leading to her son's death. The family has announced a national day of prayer for Nolan Wells on August 19, which would have been his 19th birthday.