Ben Crump said a body believed to be Nolan Xavier Wells was recovered Monday morning after the 18-year-old disappeared during a July 4 boat trip with friends. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said the coroner was still waiting on a DNA test while investigators continued to examine how Wells died.
Ledbetter said the friends left Horn Island and went back without Nolan. He also said, from what authorities understand, Wells chose to stay there. Horn Island sits about 10 miles from the Gulf Coast, and the sheriff’s department launched a search there with the Coast Guard, Department of Marine Resources and Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Christine Wonsley on Monday
Christine Wonsley, Wells’ mother, wrote on social media Monday that she was “absolutely devastated.” She added, “My heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others.” She also said, “Nolan was a special soul.”
The family attorney said the recovery does not close the case. Crump said, “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.”
Ocean Springs High School and
The Ocean Springs School District said it was shocked and heartbroken. Wells graduated last year from Ocean Springs High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete, and later played football at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
Jake Bramlett said, “We are devastated by Nolan's passing. He was the kind of son, teammate, friend, and student that every coach hopes to have in a program.” Bramlett also said, “Nolan was so much more than an outstanding football player.”
Ledbetter said investigators do not suspect foul play, but the DNA test and the ongoing investigation still leave the official account incomplete. The remaining question is what happened on Horn Island after the friends left and before Wells vanished.
