Three friends who were with Nolan Wells before his death on Mississippi's Horn Island have expressed deep regret over the Fourth of July trip, wishing they had never gone.

Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour stated in an interview with YouTuber Brandon Tatum that their biggest regret is traveling with the 18-year-old to the barrier island, located about 10 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Wells was last seen alive on July 4 and his body was discovered on the shoreline two days later.

The friends, accompanied by their attorney J Tyler Cox, addressed allegations surrounding Wells' death, rejecting speculation that race played a role or that Wells was aboard their boat when it began sinking. Hudson stated he thinks daily about what the group could have done differently, saying, "I wish we would have never went out."

Hudson described Wells as being like a brother and denied that his death was racially motivated. Pitalo echoed this sentiment, arguing their friendship was the antithesis of racism. Seymour suggested that media speculation should have waited for local authorities to complete their investigation.

Addressing claims that Wells might have been on their boat, the Triton, when Sea Tow was called for assistance as the vessel started sinking, the friends pointed to video evidence showing Wells was not present at the time. Hudson and Pitalo questioned why they would have contacted Sea Tow and the U.S. Coast Guard if Wells had been dead aboard their vessel. While some listeners of enhanced audio from the Sea Tow call claimed to hear someone ask, "Is he dead?", the authenticity of these words has not been established.

Cox characterized the group's decision to contact authorities as indicative of innocence, stating their actions were those of "innocent men, not guilty men." The friends maintain that Wells refused to board their boat when they departed Horn Island and that they never saw him again.

The interview preceded plans by Hudson, Pitalo, and Seymour to return to Horn Island with Cox and attorney Edward Andrew Paltzik. The attorneys stated this trip is not for evidence gathering but to better understand the island's terrain and dynamics. Paltzik, who has represented former President Donald Trump, indicated he needs to see the island himself.

The attorneys have repeatedly asserted their clients' innocence in Wells' death and have warned of potential defamation claims against those making unsubstantiated allegations. "We, on the other hand, will be focused solely on the truth, which is that these innocent young men had nothing whatsoever to do with the tragic death of Nolan Wells," they said in a statement to The New York Post.

Wells had traveled to Horn Island with friends on July 4 but did not return with them. Some friends suggested he chose to stay behind after meeting a young woman, identified by the Daily Mail as Katie McCormack, who reportedly believed Wells would rejoin the group. Wells' parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, have challenged these accounts, stating their son would not have voluntarily separated from his companions.

The case has garnered national attention, fueling discussions about racial dynamics, as Wells was the only Black person on the boat. Authorities initially suggested Wells died by drowning, with Sheriff John Ledbetter seeing no immediate evidence of foul play. An official autopsy has been completed, but its findings have not been released and will be presented to a grand jury.

An independent autopsy commissioned by the family listed Wells' cause of death as undetermined, pending further investigation, and found no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries. However, forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell noted a "red discoloration" on the back of Wells' skull that warrants additional scrutiny.

Wells' parents have sought to obtain records from his social media and tech accounts through subpoenas to companies including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, TikTok, and Life360. Their legal team stated that after recovering Wells' phone, they discovered some text and Snapchat messages appeared to have been deleted. Christine Wonsley told Good Morning America that her son had two Snapchat accounts, neither of which contained any messages.

The investigation is ongoing, and several individuals have been arrested for allegedly threatening witnesses. Edward James Porter of Illinois is facing federal charges for allegedly threatening witnesses and their families, including threats of death and dismemberment.

Wells' parents have publicly stated their commitment to uncovering the truth about their son's death, with Christine Wonsley writing on Facebook, "We are not asking for special treatment. We just want the TRUTH!

His father and I WILL NOT STOP SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH!"