Autopsy: Cause of death 'undetermined' for Black Catholic Mississippi teen Nolan Wells

A new independent autopsy is fueling suspicions of foul play in the Mississippi death of a Black Catholic teenager, 18-year-old Nolan Wells,, even as local and federal authorities continue to investigate the case.

National civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced Wednesday that the family’s requested autopsy, dating to July 10—the second on Wells since his death earlier this month—found the cause and manner of death to be “undetermined.” The report was reportedly limited by the body’s decomposition and the removal of Wells’ neck and throat organs in the official state autopsy, performed shortly after his body was found near Horn Island.

The results of the state examination have not been released, though authorities have said they do not suspect foul play and that initial findings suggested accidental drowning. The family's autopsy, on the other hand, suggests other possibilities.

“He found red discoloration when he cut open into the back of [Wells’] head towards the occipital bone,” said Crump of forensic pathologist Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., in a press conference at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago.

“These findings are inconclusive for perimortem injury due to the body due to both the extensive decomposition and the absence of associated injuries,” Crump said, quoting Mitchell.

“This finding, however, is significant enough to be highlighted in this preliminary report for further investigation.”

Mitchell additionally noted in his report that the discoloration could not have been seen in the state autopsy because the posterior head and neck dissection “were not performed.”

Of particular interest to observers since the report's release is Mitchell’s claim that Wells’ neck structures and throat organs were not received with the body. While Mitchell noted that removal of such elements is standard in autopsy procedures, he could only speculate as to why he did not receive them for his own examination.

“He said it is assumed that the initial pathologist retained these structures for additional evaluation,” Crump noted, adding that foul play has not been ruled out by Mitchell.

Wells’ case has drawn increasing national scrutiny since the announcement of his death, the details of which have been linked to underage drinking, unsafe swimming conditions, and possible racial prejudice.

Wells, an Ocean Springs, Mississippi, native and wide receiver on the football team at Southwest Mississippi Community College, was on summer break when he visited Horn Island for a July 4th boating trip with three high school friends, all of whom are White. According to them, Wells stayed behind on the island after a boat malfunction and the departure of his friends for the mainland. He was later reported missing the same day by one of his original companions on the trip and by Wells’ mother.

Wells’ body was found floating face-down in the ocean on July 6 near the island’s northwestern tip, discovered by a park ranger during a coordinated search by the authorities. Wells’ cell phone and car keys were found with his friends, following his mother’s use of a location tracking app. Crump, retained by the family on July 7, says Wells’ friends from the trip have also hired legal counsel.

Social media photos of Wells’ and his friends during their trip show that they were consuming alcohol before Wells split off from the group. However, a spokesman for the United Cajun Navy, which assisted in the search for Wells’ body, said that preliminary findings did not show the teen to have been severely intoxicated at the time of his death.

The unclear circumstances of Wells’ tragic passing quickly drew the attention of activists and other supporters around the country, who have demanded transparency from investigators. These have included—among others—Crump; Rev. Al Sharpton; Colin Kaepernick, who funded the family’s independent autopsy; and media mogul Tyler Perry, who has put up part of a $125,000 reward for information on the case and paid for a public funeral this week at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs.

“If you ever had the privilege of meeting our son Nolan or calling him a friend, then you experienced a glimpse of God’s love through him,” his mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, said during the service on July 20—where it was revealed that Wells was Catholic.

“He had a deep love for the Lord and an unwavering faith that was evident in the way he lived his life. As much as our hearts are broken, we find peace in knowing that our son is resting in the arms of the Lord.”

Wells’ case is currently being handled by a multi-agency team, including county sheriffs, the state medical examiner, and the FBI. The Jackson County District Attorney, Angel Myers McIlrath, has said she will present the final results to a grand jury.

Investigators have interviewed roughly 60 witnesses, including Wells’ friends, various bystanders, and a young female acquaintance of Wells’ on the island. Notably, she has reportedly contradicted the friends’ claims that Wells intended to stay on the island when they left for the mainland.

Anyone with credible information regarding Wells’ death and the preceding events can contact the family’s legal tip line at 888-991-1772. An anonymous tip line is available through Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-877-787-5898, online, or through the P3 Tips app. The local sheriff's department can be contacted at 228-769-3063.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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