Nolan Wells' family rejects grand jury decision in teen's death

The parents of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old Mississippi college student, have rejected recent grand jury findings regarding his death. A Jackson County grand jury recently issued a “no true bill,” determining there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges in connection with Wells’ death on July 4 at Horn Island.

An autopsy report from the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office classified the cause and manner of death as undetermined. The report noted that Wells was found face down in the water and showed no internal organ abnormalities or visible injuries to the skull or cervical spine, aside from two bruises on the back of his head. While a witness suggested Wells may have slipped off a boat, the grand jury concluded the bruising was “not a fatal injury.”

A separate autopsy commissioned by the Wells family also reached an inconclusive result but suggested the student had sustained “acute blunt force injuries to the head and body prior to death.” The family maintains they are still searching for answers regarding the circumstances of his passing.