The family of 18-year-old college football player Nolan Wells says they still do not have clear answers about what happened before he was found dead after disappearing during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island, Mississippi. Speaking publicly for the first time on Good Morning America, Nolan’s parents questioned parts of the timeline shared by his friends and pointed to concerns about his cellphone, deleted messages and conflicting witness accounts. The family is now waiting for the results of an independent autopsy while investigators continue looking into the case.
Nolan Wells’ cellphone and missing Snapchat activity leave family searching for answers
One of the biggest questions for Nolan Wells’ family is what happened to his cellphone. According to People, Nolan’s phone was tracked through the Life360 app and later recovered by a friend of his mother, Christine Wonsley. Christine said the phone’s location history did not match what Nolan’s friends were reportedly seeing on Snapchat during the trip. She also claimed the family found deleted messages after the phone was returned.Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, said the phone is one of several things that do not make sense.“They took his cellphone. That’s not adding up to them. The fact that then when the family gets the cellphone back … they’re saying they are trying to understand why there are deleted messages, and so it’s very concerning to them.”Christine also said she and her sister checked Nolan’s two Snapchat accounts soon after the trip. She expected to see photos or videos because Nolan regularly shared moments with friends. Instead, she found nothing.“It isn’t even 24 hours, which is how long videos and pictures stay in Snapchat. And I was just like, ‘That can’t be,’” Christine said, according to People. “There was absolutely nothing.”She added, “I’ve seen Nolan whenever he snaps. When he goes and he’s having fun, he does videos. There was absolutely nothing.”
Nolan Wells’ final hours and independent autopsy remain at the center of the investigation
Nolan Wells disappeared on July 4 after traveling to Horn Island with a group of friends. Investigators said he was last seen around 3 p.m. He was found dead two days later, but officials have not yet released an official cause of death. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has said the investigation is still active and that there is currently no evidence of foul play, though authorities are continuing to gather information. Ben Crump said there are different versions of what happened after Nolan spoke with a woman on the island. According to Crump, the woman told investigators Nolan said he was heading back to the boat. His friends, however, reportedly claimed Nolan decided to stay on the island with her.“She’s saying he went and got on the boat. They saying he didn’t get on the boat. So which is it?” Crump said.Nolan’s father, Elmore Wonsley, said he cannot understand why his son would willingly separate from his group.“We always taught him that if you go with a group, you stay with a group. If you go with five, you come back with five. Do not separate from the group. Because I always said, ‘Safety is in numbers.’ So he knew to stay with this group, so why would he split from the group? I don’t know,” he said, according to People.While a Mississippi state medical examiner has already completed an autopsy, the family sent Nolan’s body to Washington, D.C., for an independent examination by a pathologist with no ties to Mississippi law enforcement. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said he supports that decision, telling Good Morning America, “We’re working toward the same goal as the family. We want a thorough investigation. That’s what we’re going to continue to do until we arrive at the answers that the family deserves.”
