The circumstances surrounding Nolan Wells’ death remain unclear, and new information about Horn Island has added another question to the case. The 18-year-old was found dead on Horn Island, a barrier island off the Mississippi coast, on July 6, two days after attending a Fourth of July party with friends. He was still wearing his swim trunks when his body was discovered.
The Jackson County coroner says no drowning have been recorded at Horn Island in the past six years
Authorities initially believed Wells had drowned and said they had not found evidence of foul play. However, officials have continued investigating as his family and their attorney have raised questions about what happened to him.
According to information obtained by PEOPLE through an open records request, Jackson County has not recorded a drowning death at Horn Island in the past six years.
That does not mean there have been no drownings in the surrounding area. One drowning investigation was recorded at nearby Petit Bois Island during the same period. In 2022, a teenage girl was also hospitalized in critical condition after getting caught in the water near Dauphin Island.
Horn Island is known for strong currents and areas where the water can become deep quickly. Still, recent records suggest fatal drownings there are uncommon.
Wells’ parents have questioned the circumstances leading up to his disappearance. They have also challenged accounts that he was left behind at the party with a girl, saying the situation was unlike their son.
The family’s independent autopsy could not determine how Wells died or completely rule out foul play. It also found no major injuries on his body, although the examination had some limitations. The official autopsy results have not yet been released.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said investigators are committed to giving Wells’ family a complete investigation. Meanwhile, both an official and an independent investigation are underway, with the district attorney saying the findings will eventually be presented to a grand jury.
Wells would have turned 19 this week.
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