A newly released Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Marine Patrol email, dated July 5, states that 18-year-old Nolan Wells had a "heavy" alcohol intake as authorities conducted a search for him over the Fourth of July weekend. The email was sent to the U.S. Coast Guard while the search for Wells was underway.
Wells, a freshman at the University of Mississippi, disappeared while on a boating trip to Horn Island with friends. His body was discovered on July 6, concluding an extensive multi-agency search. Authorities have not publicly identified a cause or manner of death, and results from the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's autopsy and toxicology tests are still pending.
Details about the reported alcohol intake emerged days after a private autopsy commissioned by the Wells family concluded that his cause and manner of death were "undetermined pending investigation." Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking at a July 22 news conference, noted that an area of "red discoloration" was found on the back of Wells' head, although the independent pathologist could not determine a cause or manner of death at that time.
Questions surrounding the investigation were further amplified by comments from television host Nancy Grace. She highlighted findings from the independent autopsy, pointing to deep red subcutaneous tissue on the back of Wells' head, which she described as localized rather than consistent with postmortem blood pooling. Grace also raised concerns about the unavailability of Wells' lungs and throat during the independent examination, questioning why these organs were missing, particularly the throat.
The Jackson County District Attorney's office has defended the investigation, stating that authorities are following standard procedures and awaiting forensic testing before drawing conclusions. Foul play has not been officially suspected by authorities.