An independent autopsy has preliminarily determined that the cause and manner of death for Mississippi teenager Nolan Wells are "undetermined pending investigation," announced family attorney Ben Crump on Wednesday. Wells, 18, went missing on July 4 after a boat trip with friends to Horn Island.
His parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, sought the independent examination in Washington, D.C., after their son's body was recovered on July 6. Authorities have suspected drowning as the cause of death, with Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter previously stating there were no initial indications of a crime. Ledbetter added that investigators are working diligently to determine the exact circumstances surrounding Wells' death and that the sheriff's office welcomes the family's independent investigation.
The official autopsy report from the State Medical Examiner's office in Mississippi is still pending, according to Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd Jr. The findings from the state report will be provided to the local coroner once completed.
During a funeral service held in Ocean Springs, Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, described her son as someone who brought "so much joy and light and life to everyone." She expressed the family's desire for answers, stating, "The only question we have is, what happened to our son?"
Wells was a college football player and a senior at Ocean Springs High School.