INDEPENDENT AUTOPSY FINDS NOLAN WELLS’ CAUSE OF DEATH ‘UNDETERMINED’
- Jul 22
- 2 min read
CHICAGO — A preliminary independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Wells found the 18-year-old’s cause and manner of death to be “undetermined,” with the forensic pathologist stating he could not rule out foul play or a neck injury as contributing factors.
This way, cause you know I never wanna trigger. The findings were announced Wednesday by civil rights attorney Ben Crump during a news conference at the 117th NAACP National Convention in Chicago.
The independent autopsy was conducted by Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., a board-certified forensic pathologist and president of the National Medical Association. According to the preliminary report, several limitations prevented Mitchell from determining exactly how Wells died.
Mitchell noted that portions of Wells’ neck were unavailable for examination because they had been retained during the state’s initial autopsy, making it impossible to rule out a neck injury as a contributor to his death. The report also stated that the cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further investigation.
Crump said the independent examination also noted red discoloration on the back of Wells’ head but found no lacerations or fractures. Due to the condition of the body and the procedures performed during the state’s autopsy, Mitchell said he was unable to directly examine Wells’ lungs for signs of water inhalation or determine what was in his stomach.
The independent autopsy did not include toxicology testing.
Wells disappeared on July 4 after spending the holiday on Horn Island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast with friends. According to authorities, he stayed behind after his group’s boat experienced mechanical problems while the others returned to shore.
His mother reported him missing around midnight, and his body was discovered by a U.S. park ranger on July 6.
The official autopsy conducted by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet been released, as officials are awaiting toxicology results.
Crump said the independent findings leave significant questions unanswered and called for investigators to continue pursuing all possible explanations surrounding Wells’ death.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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