Family of Black teen found dead after boat trip agrees to inspect his
cellphone with DA
[July 16, 2026]
By LAURA TURBAY and CLAUDIA LAUER
Attorneys for the family of a Black teenager who went missing during a
July Fourth boat trip to an island off the Mississippi coast said they
will work with a local prosecutor's office to inspect the contents of
his cellphone as the investigation into his death continues.
The family of Nolan Wells had previously alleged that messages seemed to
have been erased from his phone before they got it back, just one of a
series of concerns they've raised about the circumstances and
investigation surrounding his death.
They met with District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath on Wednesday,
largely to discuss the inquiry process. But attorney Ben Crump said
McIlrath also committed to presenting the investigation to a grand jury
once it was completed.
Messages seeking comment from McIlrath’s office were not returned.
Attorneys hope a grand jury will bring an impartial decision
“The hope is when this is presented to the grand jury, all relevant
witnesses and evidence will be presented to them, so we can have a fair
and impartial investigation into the death of Nolan Wells,” Crump said.
“Our lived experiences tell us that we must question everything,
everybody’s role, law enforcement’s role. That is the lived experience
as Black people in America.”
Most felony cases go to a grand jury in Mississippi, said Ronald Rychlak,
a law professor at the University of Mississippi. A grand jury is
typically comprised of 15 to 25 citizens who listen to the prosecutor’s
evidence and decide whether there is enough evidence for an indictment,
Rychlak said.
Wells had traveled to the island with friends, but failed to return with
them when they left around 3 p.m. Conflicting accounts have been given
as to whether he planned to remain on Horn Island, about 7 miles (11
kilometers) offshore, to talk to a girl — or to return with those
friends.
The roughly 11-mile-long (17-kilometer-long) spit of land is near the
Alabama state line. The island is uninhabited and accessible only by
boat and is popular for parties and gatherings, officials said.
Wells' mother reported him missing shortly after midnight on July 5. The
next day, boat and rescue crews launched searches and Wells’ body was
recovered in waters near the island afterward.
Speculation and suspicion about the teen’s death have been rampant
online, as people grapple with the state’s history of racial tension and
what it means to be a Black person in a majority-white space. Family and
attorneys have said from photos and videos of the Fourth of July
celebration on the island, where nearly 200 people had gathered, that
Wells was one of very few Black people present.
The Congressional Black Caucus also weighed in Wednesday, adding to
calls for an independent investigation into the death.
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A person holds a picture of Nolan Xavier Wells during a news
conference at National Action Network headquarters, Friday, July 10,
2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Authorities with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and other
agencies were quick to say they did not suspect foul play in his death.
Results of an official autopsy are still pending, and the investigation
is continuing, officials said.
Both the family’s attorneys and Jackson County Sheriff’s Department
investigators have asked witnesses or anyone with video from the island
to come forward as they seek answers about the moments before Wells’
disappearance and death.
Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, attended Southwest
Mississippi Community College, where he played wide receiver on the
football team. His family has urged a deeper investigation, saying he
could swim. They also questioned why his friends would leave him behind
but take his keys and phone.
Questions remain around teen's recovered cellphone
Family members retrieved his phone from the home of one of Wells'
friends the evening of July 4 after using a locator app to find it. His
family said their son was an avid Snapchat user, but there were no posts
or messages from the 24 hours or so before they retrieved it.
Crump previously said he planned to hire an expert to determine whether
data could be recovered from the phone or social media. Wednesday, he
said that process will move forward in cooperation with investigators in
the prosecutor's office.
Rychlak, the law professor, said mutual inspection of evidence between
the police and victim’s family is not typical.
“Evidence is secured and not usually shared,” Rychlak said, adding that
cooperation between the family and police could speed the investigation.
Wells’ death has galvanized the Black community. Actor and producer
Tyler Perry is helping pay for Wells’ funeral. Former NFL quarterback
Colin Kaepernick is helping pay for his independent autopsy, and
filmmaker Spike Lee attended a news conference last week in support of
Wells’ family.
Wells’ mother Christine Wonsley said Wednesday that they want Monday's
funeral to be a celebration of their son's life.
“He would not want us to be sitting around crying and eating, and so
what we’re gonna do is kind of have a party to celebrate him,” she said.
_____
Lauer reported from Philadelphia and Turbay reported from Little Rock,
Arkansas.
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