The parents of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old college football player who was found dead after disappearing during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island, Mississippi, spoke publicly for the first time on Good Morning America, raising fresh doubts about his friends’ account of his final hours.
Results of the independent autopsy conducted on 18-year-old Nolan Wells are expected to be revealed on Friday.
Did Nolan Wells’ cellphone hold key clues?
Nolan’s phone was tracked down using Life360 and recovered by a friend of his mother, Christine Wonsley. But Christine said the phone’s location history did not match what friends were seeing on Snapchat, as per People.
His family also claims messages were deleted from the device after his friends returned it.
Attorney Ben Crump told ABC News on July 10 that, “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 that when she and her sister checked Nolan’s two Snapchat accounts, they found no photos or videos from the trip, even though such content usually stays up for 24 hours. “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,’” she said, as per 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.”
Also Read: Nolan Wells mysterious death: 5 things to know as family set to conduct independent autopsy, seeks ‘thorough’ probe
What really happened during Nolan Wells’ final hours?
Nolan Wells went missing on July 4 during a trip to Horn Island, Mississippi. He had gone with a group of friends, but at some point he was separated from them. Around 3pm that day, he spoke with a woman on the island. His friends left the island and he was never seen again. His body was found two days later. So far, no official cause of death has been released.
Attorney Ben Crump said there are different accounts of what happened after Nolan spoke with a woman around 3pm on July 4. The woman reportedly said Nolan told her he was going back to the boat after they talked. However, his friends claimed Nolan told them he planned to stay on the island with her instead.
“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.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter also said investigators are reviewing comments made by the mother of one of Nolan’s friends, who said Nolan voluntarily stayed behind after the group’s boat had mechanical issues.
Nolan’s parents said they cannot understand why their son would have separated from his friends.
“That we cannot answer,” Christine said.
Elmore Wonsley, Nolan’s father, said, “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,” as per People.
Also Read: Nolan Wells’ cause of death revealed? Attorney Ben Crump provides update as family worried about ‘inconsistencies’
Why is Nolan Wells’ family seeking an independent autopsy?
A Mississippi state medical examiner has already performed an autopsy on Nolan, but no official cause of death has been released yet. Toxicology results and other findings could take several weeks, according to The Sun.
Nolan’s family is now having his body flown more than 800 miles to Washington, DC for an independent autopsy.
He said the autopsy is being conducted in Washington, DC because the family wanted a pathologist with no ties to Mississippi law enforcement.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said he supports the family’s independent investigation. Speaking to Good Morning America, he said, “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,” as per People.
