A grand jury has ruled that the tragic death of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old student and college football player for Southwest Mississippi Community College, showed no signs of foul play.
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The ruling was made after the grand jury reviewed the findings of an autopsy performed by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office, according to The New York Post. "The Grand Jury finds that the position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location of Mr. Wells' body is consistent with drowning," the report, filed in Jackson, Mississippi, on Sept. 18, ruled.
Wells went missing during a boating trip with High School friends to Horn Island, located about 10 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He was reported missing on July 4. According to Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter, Wells' body was found at around 8:45 am local time on July 6.
Since his tragic death, many onlookers have speculated that Wells, who is Black, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Some also accused his friends on the trip, who are Caucasian, of malicious intent.
Ben Crump, a civil rights activist and attorney for the Wells family, has previously noted that Nolan Wells was an excellent swimmer. He added that Wells' family was also concerned when it surfaced that his friends left the 18-year-old on the island without his cell phone.
Grand Jury Finds 'No Evidence of Any Fatal Injury or Organic Disease to Mr. Wells' Body'
However, according to The Post, the grand jury, consisting of 23 individuals, "found no evidence that a crime resulted in Wells' death."
"The Grand Jury finds that Mr. Wells' phone was not the only phone to travel back to the mainland without its owner," they continued. "There was bruising on the back of Mr. Wells' head which was not a fatal injury. Further, the Grand Jury found no evidence of any fatal injury or organic disease to Mr. Wells' body."
District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath slammed allegations against Wells' friends.
"There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan's death and disappearance were racially motivated," McIlrath said in a Sept. 21
video statement."The death of Nolan Wells has devastated our community. Outsiders and influencers have attempted to exploit Nolan's death to divide and create chaos here. But we are better together," McIlrath continued.
"Nolan's friends loved Nolan and Nolan loved them," she added. "Nolan chose to stay on the island that day, and there is not a scintilla of evidence to contradict that."
Meanwhile, Crump pushed back against the Grand Jury's ruling.
"Today, the State of Mississippi is attempting to close the chapter on Nolan Wells' death without getting to the truth," Crump said in a statement shortly after the ruling, per The New York Post. "This grand jury result leaves us with more questions than answers.
"Nolan's family will not rest until we know what happened to him, and neither will we," Crump added.
