The state autopsy of Nolan Wells, who died following a Fourth of July gathering on Horn Island, Mississippi, has been completed and submitted to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, according to a report. The results from the Mississippi medical examiner’s office have not yet been made public, and Wells’ family has not yet seen them.
Wells, 18, was found deceased on July 6 after disappearing during a Fourth of July boating trip. He was a football player at Southwest Mississippi Community College. According to the mother of one of his friends, Wells remained on the remote island with friends who were all white, as they returned inland due to a mechanical issue with their boat.
An independent autopsy previously commissioned by Wells’ family found the cause and manner of death to be “undetermined” and could not ascertain if he was unconscious when he entered the water. Connecticut’s chief medical examiner, James Gill, described the “undetermined” conclusion as potentially “misleading” because it was incomplete, lacking a toxicology report or relevant police data. Gill stated that the term “undetermined” is typically used when all results are back.
State officials have indicated that no evidence thus far suggests foul play. However, Wells’ family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump. On July 20, the day of the funeral, Wells’ legal team sent letters to the families of his friends who were on the boat trip, requesting the preservation of any potential evidence, including text messages, social media data, phone calls, and photos.
Despite the absence of official indications of murder, some associates and family members of Wells’ friends have reportedly faced online abuse and threats. A California man was arrested for sending social media messages threatening to kill Jackson County Chancery Judge Ashlee Cole. Cole’s stepson, Warren Hudson, was reportedly on the boat trip with Wells. The messages, sent via Facebook, warned of a package being sent to Cole’s office, according to a criminal complaint. The man, identified as Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, was charged with interstate transmission of threatening communication.
Following the conclusion of the sheriff’s office death investigation, the findings will be presented to a Jackson County grand jury to determine if charges are warranted.