Nolan Wells death investigation moves to grand jury, joint phone review

Eighteen‑year‑old Nolan Wells vanished on July 4 while on a boating trip to Horn Island, Mississippi. His body was recovered on July 6 after a coast‑guard and search‑and‑rescue effort.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath are conducting the criminal investigation. Family civil‑rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the Wonsleys, has secured an agreement that the recovered cell‑phone will be examined jointly by the family’s forensic experts and the DA’s office. The DA has pledged to present the completed investigation to a grand jury, a standard step for unexplained deaths in the county.

The family, citing racial‑justice concerns, has also ordered an independent autopsy funded by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and has received funeral‑cost support from Tyler Perry, with Rev. Al Sharpton slated to officiate. New evidence includes a 911 call reporting a bilge‑pump failure on the boat and GPS data tracing the vessel’s movements before and after the disappearance.

A funeral and celebration of life are scheduled for July 20 at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The case remains open while authorities review phone data, witness statements and other evidence.