A Mississippi high school football star was found dead days after vanishing on a Fourth of July trip, and now a judge who is also the mother of one of his friends is speaking out about what really happened on that remote island.
Nolan Wells, 18, disappeared on July 4 while boating with friends to Horn Island, a barrier island off the Gulf Coast. His body was discovered Monday morning, leaving his family heartbroken and demanding answers.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department says Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. that day talking to a girl at the north end of the island. His friends reportedly left without him around 4:30 p.m.
Now, Judge Ashlee Cole has stepped forward to clarify her son’s role in the tragedy. In a Facebook statement, she confirmed her son was with Wells that day and has fully cooperated with investigators.
Cole explained that the group’s boat started taking on water due to a bilge pump issue. According to her, Wells chose to stay behind on the island, planning to catch a ride back with another group of friends later.
“He saw Nolan last at around 3 p.m. on July 4th,” Cole wrote. “They left around 4:30 pm when the boat was taking on water and they had an issue with the bilge pump. Nolan made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends.”
Cole also revealed she graduated high school with Wells’ mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, and offered her family’s prayers.
But questions remain. Authorities are reportedly looking into a 𝓿𝒾𝓇𝒶𝓁 video that allegedly shows a heated argument near the shoreline around the time Wells disappeared. The sheriff has asked anyone who witnessed any disturbance on the island to come forward.
The family has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who vowed to uncover the truth. “His family deserves answers,” Crump posted on X. “They deserve the truth.”
Wells, a wide receiver for Southwest Mississippi Community College, was set to turn 19 next month. His body was identified through dental records, and a full autopsy is pending, including toxicology results.
As the investigation continues, one question lingers: what really happened on that island after his friends left?
