US grand jury declines to bring charges in Nolan Wells death case — Rolling Stone
A grand jury in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States, unanimously decided not to bring charges in the case of the death of 18-year-old football player Nolan Xavier Wells. District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath stated this, Rolling Stone reports.
Disappearance on the island
Wells was from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He disappeared on July 4 on Horn Island, a barrier island near the Mississippi-Alabama state border, where he was vacationing with friends. According to McIlrath, Wells decided to remain on the island when his friends left by boat. He was last seen at around 3:00 p.m. wearing blue swim trunks and sunglasses.
Two days later, a U.S. ranger found the young man's body on the island. An independent pathologist determined the cause of death to be undetermined pending completion of the investigation. The first autopsy, conducted on July 7 by a Mississippi state medical examiner, documented a bruise on the back of Wells' head that was not fatal and found no fatal injuries or organic disease.
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Grand jury materials
The jury report states that 132 subpoenas were issued and 43 witnesses were heard; seven people were also invited to provide testimony. Jurors reviewed credible evidence regarding the circumstances in which Wells may have sustained an injury to the back of his head, but the exact cause of the injury remains undetermined.
One witness under oath stated that at around 3:30 p.m. on July 4, 2026, he saw Wells awkwardly slip off the side of a boat. However, the witness could not say whether the young man struck his head during the fall. According to him, Wells continued interacting with others afterward and did not appear injured.
McIlrath also stated that there is no evidence supporting suggestions of a racial motive behind Wells' disappearance and death. Family attorney Ben Crump, after the report was released, stressed that the public needs a clear account of the circumstances, supported by documents, evidence, and independent review.
