Nolan Wells' friend explains what happened to his phone as parents believe it may be a clue into son's death
A friend of Nolan Wells, who disappeared on 4 July and was found dead two days later, spoke about what happened to his phone after he went missing.
18-year-old Wells went missing from a Fourth of July party after travelling to Horn Island, Mississippi, to attend the gathering of around 300 people.
Two days later his body was found 'face down' and 'fully clothed' in the water near the northwest end of Horn Island.
Dr Roger Mitchell said Wells’ body was so decomposed by the time of his second autopsy that he might have missed signs of bruising or abrasions.
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The forensic pathologist said he could not rule out foul play, despite not finding any fractures or deep tissue injuries on his body, and Wells' family are confused by the teenager leaving his phone behind.
His parents Christine and Elmore Wonsley say his friends have told them he left his phone on a boat and went onto the island for the party, and they're wondering what happpened.
Ben Crump, an attorney for the family of Nolan Wells, said: “What teenager would leave their phone behind if they’re going to stay on this island?
"What teenager wouldn’t take their phone?”
A friend named Tracestin Shepherd told ABC News that Wells left his phone in the boat because he'd be going into the water, saying that others did the same.
Warren Hudson, a friend of Nolan Wells, told Brandon Tatum: "Nolan wasn’t the only person that left a phone on the boat.
"A lot of people that left phones on the boat, a couple phones that we had that we didn’t know who they belonged to."
Hudson claimed that after the island party he went to a friend's house and at around 12:30am on 5 July the mother of another of Wells' friends turned up with a group of people and demanded the teenager's phone.
He said he 'just handed it over' and insisted he didn't 'go through' the device, saying: "None of us had a reason to go through Nolan’s phone. I mean, there’s multiple phones on the boat, and the boat was having issues.
"Why would our concern be getting on Nolan’s phone or something?
"I mean, I don’t even know Nolan’s password. None of my friends do. We had no reason ever to get on Nolan’s phone and look at anything. I didn’t even touch Nolan’s phone."
He said there was absolutely no chance that anyone got hold of the phone and deleted something off it.
Investigations are still ongoing.
A timeline of Nolan Wells' death and the ongoing investigation
3 July
Nolan Wells, 18, makes his family dinner and leaves to spend the night with friends. It’s the last time his family see him alive.
4 July
Wells takes a boat with friends to Horn Island, off the Mississippi Gulf Coast
3pm - The last time Wells is seen alive by friends. His close friend Tracestin Shepherd says he chose to stay behind on the island with a girl he’d met. But Wells’ family’s attorney Ben Crump says the girl said Nolan told her he was going back in the boat with his friends, according to WJHG.
11pm - One of Wells’ friends calls his mother Christine Wonsley to tell her he had not returned from the island.
12pm - After speaking to more of Wells’ friends and growing concerned, she reports him missing to the police, while one of his friends also calls the US Coast Guard about his disappearance.
5 July
Several agencies, including the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Coast Guard, US National Park Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks launch a search for Wells. Helicopters and boats are sent to comb the island.
6 July
8.45am - Police received a call reporting that a US Park Service ranger has discovered a body on the northwestern tip of Horn Island.
1pm - Wells’ family confirm his death on social media. A statement from police says ‘no foul play was suspected’.
7 July
Wells’ family retain civil rights attorney Ben Crump - who represented Breanna Taylor and George Floyd's families - to conduct an independent investigation into his death.
Meanwhile, the mother of one of the boys who accompanied Wells to Horn Island says she ‘fears for the safety of my child’ following online speculation about the case. The following day, she says she’s started receiving death threats.
With Wells being the only Black man in a group of white friends, speculation is rife that his death could have been racially motivated.
8 July
Jackson County Sheriff’s Department release a statement which reads in part: “We recognize that a significant amount of information, speculation, and commentary has been shared on social media and throughout the community. As with any active investigation, our investigators are working to establish the facts through eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, and other reliable information.”
10 July
Crump says the details of the case are ‘not adding up’. He argued that if Wells drowned, someone would have seen him struggling and offered to help. He also says it was suspicious that Wells did not have his phone with him at the time of his death.
Speaking at a press conference, civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton accuses police of ‘mishandling’ the investigation, adding ‘this does not smell right’.
He continues: “Some people are saying, 'Reverend, are y’all bringing in race?' Well, we’re not bringing in race, but we’re not discounting race either.
“To tell us don’t rush to judgement saying it was racist is fine. But I’m telling you don't rush to judgement saying it was not racism, because we do not know”
13 July
Shepherd appears on Good Morning America and addresses a viral video taken from before Wells’ death. Many assumed the clip showed Wells getting into an argument with someone.
But Shepherd says the man yelling in the video was actually him. He says he was having an argument with his girlfriend, another man tried to intervene, and he told him to ‘mind his own business’.
20 July
A funeral service is held for Wells at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs.
Rev Sharpton officiates and announces a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest or conviction. Actor Tyler Perry pledges another $50k.
The following day, NFL star Terrell Owens pledges $25k.
22 July
The results of an independent autopsy ordered by Crump come in, saying the cause of death is undetermined.
Forensic pathologist Dr Roger Mitchell noted a discolouration to Wells’ head, but didn’t find any lacerations or bone fractures, and the state of decomposition was too advanced to determine if there was any bruising.
Topics: US News
Joe Harker