A Mississippi grand jury found no evidence of criminal conduct in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, concluding that the college football player’s body was discovered under circumstances consistent with drowning following his disappearance during a Fourth of July boating trip.
The 23-member Jackson County grand jury decided no criminal charges were necessary after hearing from 43 witnesses and analyzing physical and digital evidence, police reports, interviews, videos, images, and maps. District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath released the grand jury’s report on Monday.
Wells vanished on July 4 after traveling with friends to Horn Island, a barrier island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. His body was found in the waters near the island two days later after a multi-agency search.
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Nolan Wells was photographed smiling while playing wide receiver for Southwest Mississippi Community College. The report stated that the “position of, condition of, time of discovery, and location” of Wells’ body were consistent with drowning and that “no credible evidence” indicated anyone traveling to or from the island committed a crime related to his death.
The grand jury also remarked that bruising on Wells’ head was “not a fatal injury.” Although investigators could not determine how Wells obtained the bruise, the report noted there was neither a fatal injury nor organic disease.
One witness testified that Wells was seen slipping “awkwardly off the side of a boat” around the time he was last seen. The witness was uncertain whether Wells struck his head during the fall but noted that Wells continued to socialize afterward and did not appear injured.
The report indicated Wells did not engage in any physical altercation or argument that day.
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A private autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family previously listed his cause and manner of death as “undetermined pending investigation.” During a July 22 news conference, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said the examination found an area of “red discoloration” on Wells’ head, though pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell could not determine a cause or manner of death.
Questions also arose concerning Wells’ alcohol consumption. An email from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Marine Patrol on July 5, previously acquired by Fox News Digital, categorized Wells’ alcohol intake as “heavy” during the search. The email did not disclose the source of this information.
The grand jury discovered Wells bought alcohol with a fake ID and no adults of legal drinking age furnished him with alcohol on the island. The report disclosed toxicology testing was “not particularly informative” due to decomposition fluid being an unreliable source for determining substance levels in a body. It confirmed there was no cocaine in Wells’ system and no evidence suggesting he had ever used the drug.
The report highlighted Wells’ cellphone, which was returned to the mainland without him. According to the grand jury, it is common for island visitors to return on different boats or leave phones and other items aboard boats while socializing. The report mentioned Wells’ phone was not the sole one returned without its owner.
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Wells’ death garnered national attention and led to extensive speculation online. The grand jury noted allegations targeting the three boats’ occupants had spread to their relatives and friends, labeling these “public attacks” as “malicious, false,” lacking “truth in fact or evidence.”
Wells’ family was granted the chance to submit evidence from its independent investigation. According to the report, the family’s attorneys revealed their investigation found no witnesses or evidence reasonably believed to suggest potential criminal activity that warranted referral.
The case may still return to a grand jury if new evidence arises. Mississippi has no statute of limitations for homicide cases.
The report concludes, “If credible evidence emerges in the future indicating Mr. Wells’ death was non-accidental, this matter should be represented to the Jackson County Grand Jury for further consideration.”
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.