Family of Nolan Wells, who was found dead off Mississippi island, retains noted lawyer Ben Crump
Jul 7, 2026, 3:07 PM
The family of an 18-year-old who was found dead after a July 4 boat trip to an island off the Gulf Coast has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump amid an ongoing investigation into the circumstances of his disappearance.
Nolan Xavier Wells’ body was discovered Monday off the coast of Horn Island, Mississippi, where he was last seen with a group of friends Saturday afternoon, officials said.
In a statement released Tuesday, Crump said the family is searching for answers about the events leading up to his death.
“We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light, and we call on investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves,” said Crump, who also was recently retained by the family of a Mississippi 1-year-old who was killed when police fired into a moving car.
Wells traveled by boat with friends to the island Saturday but did not return with them that afternoon, according to Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter.
Wells was reported missing that night by his mother. A rescue team found his body the following morning, the family said. An autopsy was set to be completed Tuesday.
Ledbetter said Wells’ friends were cooperating with the investigation.
“From the people we’ve talked to, it sounds like he chose to stay on the island with the assumption that he was going to ride back to the mainland with someone else,” Ledbetter told The Associated Press.
Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, attended Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he played wide receiver on the football team.
In a social media post, his mother, Christine Wonsley, said the family is seeking videos and other documentation from the island.
“My heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others,” she said. “Nolan was a special soul, God took his time creating our son.”
