Mystery Deepens: Nolan Wells’ disappearance has taken another baffling turn after an email revealed the teen did something unusual just before he vanished
The forensic pathologist hired by the Wells family concluded cause and manner of death were ‘undetermined’
The mysterious death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells has taken another turn after a newly obtained document listed the missing teen’s alcohol intake as “heavy” as authorities searched for him on Horn Island over the Fourth of July weekend.
The document, a July 5 Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Marine Patrol email obtained by Fox News Digital, was sent to the U.S. Coast Guard as authorities searched for Wells.
Along with his physical description and last known location, the email lists “Alcohol intake: Heavy,” but does not identify the source of that information.
Wells disappeared while on a boating trip to Horn Island with friends. An extensive multi-agency search ended July 6 when his body was discovered.
A newly released Marine Patrol email listed 18-year-old Nolan Wells’ alcohol intake as “heavy” while authorities searched for him after he disappeared during a boating trip to Horn Island. (Christine Wonsley/Facebook)
Authorities have not publicly identified a cause or manner of death, and the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s autopsy and toxicology results remain pending.
The newly reported details come days after a private autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family concluded his cause and manner of death were “undetermined pending investigation.”
During a July 22 news conference, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said an area of “red discoloration” was found on the back of Wells’ head but said Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the independent autopsy, could not determine a cause or manner of death pending further investigation.
“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” host Nancy Grace later discussed the findings on her show, where she raised additional questions about the investigation.
She pointed to what she described as deep red tissue beneath the skin at the back of Wells’ head and said the independent pathologist did not receive Wells’ lungs or throat when conducting the second autopsy.
Grace also questioned whether those findings could be significant but emphasized that she did not know what caused Wells’ death and noted there were “many accidental possibilities.”
Nolan Wells’ body was found July 6, but both the official and independent autopsies have yet to determine how he died, while questions remain about discoloration on his head. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Department via Facebook)
“There is deep, red, subcutaneous tissue” on the back of Wells’ head, Grace said, adding that the discoloration was localized rather than consistent with postmortem blood pooling.
“I don’t know,” Grace said. “There are many accidental possibilities.”
The Jackson County District Attorney has defended the investigation amid growing public scrutiny, saying authorities are following standard procedures and awaiting forensic testing before drawing conclusions.
Authorities have not announced whether foul play is suspected.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office for comment.
