Nationwide — The family of 18-year-old college football player Nolan Wells has shared the preliminary findings from an independent autopsy as they continue seeking answers about his death after a Fourth of July outing on Horn Island, Mississippi. During a July 22 news conference, civil rights attorney Ben Crump presented the report prepared by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger J. Mitchell.
Dr. Mitchell said he could not determine either the cause or manner of Wells’ death based on the available evidence and stressed that additional investigation is still needed. While he could not rule out the possibility of foul play, he also found no fractures or major internal injuries that would clearly point to a violent assault.
According to People, Dr. Mitchell explained that several factors limited his examination. He did not have access to Wells’ body immediately after his death; some portions of the body remained in law enforcement custody, and decomposition had progressed significantly before the second autopsy was performed. As a result, he acknowledged that bruises or other soft-tissue injuries could have disappeared before his examination. He did, however, identify a large area of unexplained red discoloration behind Wells’ ears and at the back of his head. Although no cuts or skull fractures were found in that area, Mitchell said the cause of the discoloration remains unknown.
The independent autopsy was also unable to answer several important medical questions because Wells’ organs had already been examined during the official autopsy. Mitchell could not inspect the lungs, stomach, or throat structures for evidence that might indicate drowning or other contributing factors. His report concluded with seven unanswered questions, including how Wells entered the water, whether he was conscious beforehand, the position of his body when discovered, whether water was present in his airway, whether there were injuries to his neck or signs of internal bleeding, what was found in his stomach, and what the pending toxicology results will reveal. Mitchell did not conduct an independent toxicology analysis.
Crump said the family intentionally chose a forensic expert with no connections to Mississippi law enforcement to ensure an independent review. He also revealed that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick helped fund the examination and said his legal team will continue conducting its own investigation. “We will persist, persist, persist,” Crump told reporters, emphasizing the family’s determination to uncover exactly what happened. Meanwhile, the official autopsy and toxicology reports have not yet been released by authorities.
According to investigators, Wells disappeared on July 4 after attending a gathering on Horn Island, a barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His body was found in the water two days later. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said investigators believe Wells chose to remain on the island after his friends left, expecting to return to the mainland with someone else. However, Wells’ family has questioned that account, pointing to statements from a young woman who reportedly said Wells had planned to return to the boat instead. They have also raised concerns about why his cellphone remained with his friends rather than with him. One of those friends later told ABC News that Wells intentionally left his phone on the boat because he expected to spend time swimming.
Local authorities have stated that Wells’ friends have cooperated with the investigation and that they have not found evidence of foul play so far, although they continue to emphasize that no official cause of death has been determined. The Jackson County coroner has said the final autopsy results could take several weeks. Wells, who was set to turn 19 in August, played wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College. His family remembers him as a kind, compassionate young man who brought people together and was committed to creating a better future for those he loved.