An independent autopsy is set to be conducted for Nolan Wells, as questions remain around the disappearance and death of the 18-year-old over the Fourth of July weekend.
Wells' family reported him missing on Saturday after he failed to return from a trip to Horn Island, Mississippi, where he had gone with friends to spend Independence Day. His body was found on Monday in the water off the northwestern tip of the island.
His family has retained attorney Ben Crump, who has represented families in several high-profile, racially motivated cases.
Speaking in an interview with ABC News, Crump said the family was "trying to be very transparent" because it had "some concerns" about Mississippi "doing an investigation of the death of a young Black man where young white students may be looked at as having some culpability."
"The family is concerned about that," he added. "We're going to have an independent autopsy. We have investigators talking to witnesses that have no alignment or no allegiance to the state, and that's important."
Newsweek has contacted a media representative for Crump and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office for comment via email outside normal working hours.
Timeline of Wells’ Disappearance and Investigation
An investigation is ongoing into the circumstances of Wells' death and disappearance.
July 4
Wells, who was a student athlete at Southwest Mississippi Community College and would have turned 19 in August, is last seen with a group of friends on Saturday afternoon. While he traveled with friends to Horn Island by boat, he did not return with them.
His mother, Christine Wonsley, reports him missing that night.
July 5
Early Sunday morning, Wonsley posts on Facebook, asking people to "please be on the lookout for Nolan." She adds that it is "unclear if he made it back on land."
Multiple agencies—including the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer-driven emergency response unit—conduct a search for Wells.
July 6
A rescue team finds Wells' body in the water at Horn Island, 10 miles off the coast of Mississippi.
Wonsley confirms his death in a social media post, writing: "His father Elmore Wonsley, our family, friends and I are absolutely devastated. My heart is broken for our sweet son."
July 7
The family retains Crump after authorities find Wells' body.
The state medical examiner performs an autopsy, but it is unclear when the results will be made public. Autopsy results are required in any death investigation, and the results can sometimes take weeks.
July 8
Crump tells ABC that Wells' body will be flown to Washington, D.C., where an independent autopsy will be carried out, and that he expects the results of that examination on Friday.
Family, Lawmakers Push for Transparency
Wells' death has been met with concern and widespread attention online. His family has questioned the circumstances around his death, and lawmakers and advocacy groups have called for an investigation.
Representative Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, has urged law enforcement to conduct a "full, transparent, and timely investigation." Meanwhile, the NAACP wrote on Instagram, "Our hearts are with Nolan's family, friends, and community."
Christopher Wells Sr., Wells' grandfather, said there were "too many unanswered questions."
"How can a Island that was searched yesterday produce my grandsons body this morning," he wrote on social media on Monday.
Crump said in an email sent to Newsweek on Tuesday: "His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth. We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light, and we call on investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves."
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that it recognized a "significant amount of information, speculation, and commentary has been shared on social media."
The office said it was working to establish the facts through witness accounts and physical evidence. It has also appealed to anyone present on Horn Island who may have had interactions with, or sightings of, Wells; anyone who may have observed or heard an argument or disturbance; or anyone with photos or videos from the day.
Wells' mother wrote on Facebook on Wednesday morning: "This has been the worst time in our lives. Watching his siblings go through the motions of grief adds another layer to the sadness."
"Please keep us in your prayers and continue to respect our privacy," she added.
Mother of Wells’ Friend Speaks Out
Chancery Judge Ashlee Cole, the mother of Wells' friend Warren, wrote in a statement shared on Facebook: "Our family, along with the community, grieves the loss of Nolan Wells. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nolan's family. Our son, Warren, loved Nolan dearly."
She said she had deactivated her Facebook account because of "the very heightened emotional state of social media," adding that she feared "for the safety of my child and my children."
"No one in our family is trying in any way to impede with the investigation by law enforcement or to otherwise hamper the family and law enforcement’s quest for answers," Cole added. She said the Jackson County Sheriff's Office had interviewed Warren, and that he had "cooperated fully."
What Happens Next
Anyone with information, photos or videos related to the investigation is urged to contact the Jackson County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 228-769-3065.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Shakeema Edwards.