Nationwide — Attorneys for three teens who were with Nolan Wells before his disappearance visited Horn Island Friday as they continue investigating his death. They also said they are preparing defamation lawsuits against people they accuse of spreading false claims about the teens.
Mississippi attorney Tyler Cox and media law attorney Edward Andrew Paltzik represent Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour. The three were part of the group that spent July 4 with Wells, an 18-year-old Ocean Springs student-athlete whose body was later found on the island.
According to the Sun Herald, Cox said the legal team began its investigation July 7, the day after Wells’ body was discovered on Horn Island. The attorneys have spoken with witnesses, gathered evidence, and turned their findings over to authorities. They visited the island, so Paltzik could better understand the location and its layout.
Paltzik said the attorneys have identified two people they believe made defamatory statements about the teens. He declined to name them, citing legal and security concerns, but said more people could be added to the list. The attorneys are reviewing social media posts and media coverage as they prepare the lawsuits.
Wells disappeared during the July 4 trip, when a large group traveled to Horn Island, about 10 miles off the Mississippi Coast, on three boats. The group returned without him but had his cellphone, raising questions from his parents, Elmore and Christine Wonsley. Others have said friends sometimes carried each other’s phones because they spent much of the day in the water.
The Wonsleys hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump to conduct an independent investigation after their son’s death. Meanwhile, the families of the three teens have received notices of intent to sue from attorneys representing Wells’ estate. A separate fundraiser is helping the teens cover legal expenses. It has so far raised over $166,000.
Cox said the teens and their families have faced online and in-person threats since Wells’ death. He maintains that the three had no involvement in Wells’ death and were devastated by the loss of their friend.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department continues to lead the investigation with help from federal agencies. Autopsy and toxicology results have been completed but remain sealed while a Jackson County grand jury reviews the evidence. Three people have also been arrested on federal charges for allegedly threatening witnesses and their families.
The Wonsley family has also faced attacks since Wells’ death. A recent complaint against Christine Wonsley, a family nurse practitioner at Memorial Health System, led to an investigation by the Mississippi Board of Nursing, but the matter was quickly closed after the complaint was determined to be unfounded.