Nolan Wells: A Phone, a Distress Call and a Disputed Timeline

Disappearance on Horn Island [00:00]

• Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old college football player, went missing on July 4th while on a boat trip with friends to Horn Island.
• He was described as athletic, responsible, and a good kid, making his disappearance and subsequent death shocking to his family.
• His friends claimed he decided to stay on the island to spend more time with a girl named Katie and would get another ride back.

  "He went out on a boat to Horn Island in Mississippi with his friends for the 4th of July."

Initial Search and Discovery of Body [00:00]

• Nolan's parents were alerted that he was missing later that evening and posted a public plea on Facebook.
• A large-scale search involving family, friends, park rangers, the Coast Guard, and the United Cajun Navy was launched.
• On July 6th, Nolan's body was recovered in the water on the northwest shore of Horn Island.

  "On July 6th, around 8.45 a.m., Nolan's body was recovered in the water on the northwest shore of Horn Island."

Official Cause of Death and Family's Response [00:00]

• Jackson County investigators initially suspected Nolan drowned and saw no reason to suspect foul play.
• Nolan's family rejected this conclusion, demanding more answers and questioning how he could have gone unnoticed in the water.
• On July 7th, the family hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump and commissioned a private autopsy.

  "They suspected Nolan Wells drowned, and they had no reason to suspect foul play."

Friends' Silence and Judge's Mother's Statement [00:00]

• Speculation arose as Nolan's friends, who were white, lawyered up and remained largely silent, while Nolan was Black.
• Further chatter suggested one friend's mother, a local judge, might have influence over the investigation.
• The judge, Ashley Cole, reactivated her Facebook to address rumors, stating her son cooperated with law enforcement and that no one was trying to impede the investigation.

  "Our son Warren loved Nolan dearly. Unfortunately, I feel that it is appropriate for our family to dispel some rumors with facts based upon the social media attention that is being diverted away from the Wells family and their loss."

Good Morning America Interview and Phone Discrepancies [00:00]

• Nolan's parents and Ben Crump appeared on Good Morning America on July 10th, revealing they had tracked Nolan's phone using the Life 360 app.
• They were confused how his friends returned home with his phone but not Nolan, and why they didn't immediately disclose they had it.
• Comparing Life 360 and Snapchat data, they found discrepancies, suggesting hours of inactivity and potential deletion of data from his phone.

  "How did the friends come back home with Nolan's phone but not Nolan?"

Private Autopsy Results and SeaTow Call [00:00]

• On July 22nd, Ben Crump announced the private autopsy results: cause and manner of death were "undetermined pending investigation," but foul play could not be ruled out.
• The autopsy noted red discoloration on Nolan's head but found no fractures or deep tissue injuries.
• On July 25th, the SeaTow boat distress call audio was released, with some enhanced versions suggesting background voices that might mention "Nolan" or "is he dead?"

  "He said the forensic pathologist could not rule out foul play, but did not find any fractures or deep tissue injuries."

Continued Investigation and Family's Plea [00:00]

• The family filed court demands for digital records from various social media and tracking platforms linked to Nolan's phone.
• Authorities charged three individuals for making threats to witnesses and officials, though these charges were unrelated to Nolan's death.
• Ben Crump's team is analyzing the SeaTow audio and consulting experts on tides, questioning how Nolan's body was found in the same area he was last seen.

  "His family and friends described him as a really good kid with aspirations of playing at a high level division one football program."