An 18-year-old Mississippi teen vanished during a Fourth of July trip to a remote island after witnesses say he had been drinking heavily with friends and made the 𝓈𝒽𝓸𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 decision to stay behind with a stranger.
Nolan Wells, a high school athlete from Ocean Springs, was reported missing on Horn Island on July 5 after his companions took the boat back to the mainland without him.
According to a police report from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources obtained by ABC News, the friends told investigators that Wells had been consuming alcohol despite being underage. They claimed they didn’t abandon him—they said their boat was taking on water and they needed to return to shore.
The document also reportedly stated that when the group left, Wells was in the company of an “unknown female” and elected to remain on the island.
Two days later, a National Park Service ranger found Wells’ body on the island, wearing only blue swim shorts. The United Cajun Navy noted the area is known for powerful rip currents.
Authorities have said they suspect drowning with no foul play, but the official state autopsy results have not been released. The family requested an independent autopsy, which came back inconclusive.
Pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed that exam, noted he could not rule out the possibility of a neck injury—pointing out that key parts of the body were not sent for review. He also observed red discoloration on the back of Wells’ head.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, said the pathologist could not determine if Wells was conscious when he entered the water or if he was forced in. “He cannot rule out foul play,” Crump stated.
Wells’ parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, have called for a thorough investigation, expressing confusion over why their son stayed behind when his friends left.
“We always told him, if you go with a group, you stay with a group,” his father said.
As the family waits for answers, one haunting question remains: Why did Nolan choose to stay on that island?
