An independent autopsy into the death of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old found dead on Horn Island, Mississippi, has yielded inconclusive results, according to attorney Ben Crump. Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the autopsy, identified an area of “red discoloration” on Wells' head, but could not definitively conclude the cause of death pending further investigation.
Crump announced these findings on Wednesday at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago. He noted that the pathologist could not rule out non-accidental factors contributing to Wells' death, citing the discoloration on his head as a point of concern.
However, forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, when consulted on the case, stated that the head injury described does not suggest foul play. Baden suggested the discoloration could be superficial and potentially caused by bumping into debris in the water, either before or after death.
"What he's describing is a minor injury that could be... totally innocent," Baden told Fox News Digital. He added that Dr. Mitchell might be “reaching for straws” and that the independent autopsy findings are consistent with initial accounts from local law enforcement suggesting an accidental death without foul play.
Nolan Wells disappeared on July 4 after a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, a barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A search was conducted for two days before a National Park Service ranger discovered his body on July 6 on the island's northwestern tip. The official cause of death has not yet been released as investigations continue.