NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus Lends Support in Nolan Wells’ Case

From the National Urban League Conference to the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention, Nolan Wells’ parents are on a nonstop campaign to get answers into the mysterious death of their son.

They’re getting more help in their quest, this time from the NAACP’s Office of General Counsel, which announced Aug. 17 that it is joining the legal team representing Wells’ family. 

“We’re taking up this fight to search for truth and to demand transparency concerning the tragic death of Nolan Wells,” said Kristen Clarke, general counsel of the NAACP, in a statement. “Drawing on the association’s long history of pushing for full and fair investigations when Black lives are lost under suspicious circumstances, we will bring additional investigative and legal resources to bear and ensure that no stone is left unturned in the quest for truth and accountability for Nolan’s family.”

The news comes a few days after the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel to launch an independent review of the case of Wells, the 18-year-old whose body was found on Horn Island — a remote area of the Mississippi Gulf Coast where he had gone on a boat trip with a group of white friends. 

New audio released of a 911 call placed on July 4 raises questions about what happened on the boat. In the audio, a caller can be heard saying that the boat is sinking and they needed a tow, according to CNN. After the dispatcher asked a teenager what he wanted to do, he responded, “I want to get this boat unsank and towed back, yes.”

Although audio has been released, there have been conflicting reports about what the new information actually reveals. 

Wells’ body was found July 6. The cause and manner of death is still undetermined. 

A district attorney in Mississippi said the official state autopsy results for Nolan Wells will be sealed until presented by a grand jury. Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said they are taking the time needed to “complete the work this investigation demands,” according to the Mississippi Free Press.

The announcement on July 23 came just days after family attorney Ben Crump stated the college student’s cause of death is undetermined, following an independent autopsy.

Hundreds gathered in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on July 20 for the funeral service for Wells. 

His parents opened the service reflecting on their son — who would’ve turned 19 next month — and how much he meant to them.

“I want to give all thanks and honor and glory to God for choosing Elmore and me to be Nolan’s parents,” Christine Wonsley said at their son’s funeral at Center Pointe Church. “We thank you, Lord, for the beautiful 18 years that you blessed us with him.”

“He had a way of making people feel seen, welcomed and valued,” she said. “He could lift your confidence with just a few words and make you feel like you belong.”

Between somber words, a eulogy and speeches from the Rev. Al Sharpton and Crump, one thing there’s an agreement on is the tragedy of Wells’ death. 

The lack of answers weeks after his body was found on Horn Island, a remote area on the Mississippi Gulf Coast where he went on a boat trip with a group of white friends, was noted in Sharpton’s and Crump’s speeches. Sharpton pledged $50,000 from his National Action Network for leads on what happened to Wells. 

“There’s too many unanswered questions,” Sharpton said. “We can’t have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation.”

Crump called for justice, repeating, “Nolan’s life mattered!” as the crowd stood in agreement several times.

Several days after the discovery of her son’s body, Wonsley, holding her husband Elmore’s hand, couldn’t hold back tears during an appearance on Good Morning America on July 9.

As she wiped her tears, Elmore stepped in. “It’s just he’s gonna be really missed. I know a lot of his teammates; they all look to him as a leader. He’s more like a silent leader, not real big on words, more action,” he said.

The case of Wells immediately drew national attention, along with a surge of misinformation, unverified allegations and skepticism by some Black online commentators  who question whether Mississippi officials will be transparent in their investigation. 

The family conducted an independent investigation with support from their counsel, Crump. Forensic pathologist Dr. Roger A. Mitchell performed an independent autopsy, which was funded by former NFL star Colin Kaepernick. The preliminary findings could not determine a cause of death. The autopsy found red discoloration in the soft tissue of the back of Wells’ head.

Sharpton said media mogul Tyler Perry paid for funeral services. In an Instagram post, Perry shared his own personal story of fighting to get answers when his nephew died in a Louisiana prison.

“I know what it’s like to not have answers that loved ones so desperately need. It’s debilitating,” Perry wrote on Instagram. “It is my hope that Nolan’s parents and all who knew and loved him get to the truth of what happened in Mississippi.”

What happened after Wells disappeared?

It wasn’t Wells’ first time on Horn Island; he went occasionally with his friends. The Fourth of July weekend was Wells’ last chance to have fun before returning to school. His parents had prepared to take him back to attend his football camp at Southwest Mississippi Community College.

But, Christine Wonsley didn’t hear from her son. Instead, she received a call from one of Wells’ friends about his disappearance. She decided to track his phone. When she learned of the location, a friend retrieved it and learned messages had been deleted.

“We are doing this because at the end of the day, I would hope any parent would fight for their kids to find out if anything happened, what did happen,” Wonsley said. “We just want honesty and transparency. We want a thorough investigation. We want that same respect that would be given to anybody else, and that’s it. We just want answers.”

At a press conference on July 10 hosted by Crump and Sharpton, more details emerged. On July 3, Wells stayed at a friend’s house, where he left his car.

Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. on July 4 on the island. The friends returned home, but no one has come forward with any information about what happened to him. Wells, a general business major and football player, was wearing blue swim trunks, no shirt, and sunglasses. 

“We always tell him, if you go with a group, you stay with a group,” Elmore Wonsley said on Good Morning America. “If you go with five, you come back with five. He always said, ‘Yes sir.’ He knew to stay with his group, so why would he split from his group?”

Around 11 p.m. on July 4, a friend of Wells’ reached out to the United States Coast Guard. However, the Coast Guard determined the incident did not require their assistance, reported local news outlet WLOX in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Christine Wonsley reached out to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department around midnight to report her son missing.

On July 5, the search ensued for Wells, which included the Department of Marine Resources, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the United Cajun Navy, a grassroots rapid response organization who also has been assisting local law enforcement agencies.

The U.S. Parks Service found a body in the water on Horn Island on July 6. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the body was discovered around 8:45 a.m. on the west end of Horn Island. After the body was found, the search for Wells was called off, according to the United Cajun Navy.

The next day, the Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd Jr. confirmed DNA tests and dental records match the description of Wells, reported local news outlet WLOX in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Capital B reached out to the sheriff’s department and Jackson County Coroner’s Office, but did not hear back.

In a post, Christine Wonsley thanked everyone for the support, love, and resources over the past few days. A family friend launched a GoFundMe, which Christine has taken over, for those who want to help the family.

“His father, our family, friends and I are absolutely devastated. My heart is broken for my sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others,” she wrote. “Nolan was a special soul, God took his time creating our son.”

There has been no official reports or additional information from those who were present about what happened. 

Have state, federal officials, or civil rights organizations spoken out?

U.S. Rep Bennie Thompson of Mississippi sent his condolences to the Wells family and urged law enforcement to conduct a “full, transparent, and timely investigation.”

The Mississippi Chapter of NAACP echoed Thompson’s sentiments and also called for a thorough investigation.

“Given the deeply concerning contradictions in initial accounts, reports of prior altercations, and the unanswered questions surrounding how Nolan was left behind, we call upon the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and all involved state and federal agencies to pursue every lead without bias or delay,” the organization wrote in a statement. 

What are other Ocean Springs residents saying?

Jackson County Chancery Court Judge Ashlee Cole, whose family has faced accusations related to Wells’ death, took to Facebook to “dispel rumors.” She said she feared for the safety of her six children, as their photographs have been widely circulated across the internet.

Cole said neither she nor husband were at Horn Island. However, their son, Warren, who was there, has been interviewed by the sheriff’s department. 

“No one in our family is trying in any way to impede with the investigation by law enforcement or to otherwise hamper the family and law enforcement’s quest for answers,” she wrote. “He saw Nolan last at around 3 p.m. on July 4th. They left around 4:30 p.m. when the boat was taking on water and they had an issue with the bilge pump. Nolan made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends.”

Wells’ death sparks outrage

Horn Island is a barrier island off the Mississippi coast south of Ocean Springs, where Wells is from, and is only accessible by private boat, according to the National Parks Service.

Wells’ disappearance — and his being the only Black person in the group — have social media buzzing with debates about why his race matters.  

“I see too many people, particularly Black people, already criticizing Nolan for going to this island as the only Black person with his White friends,” Ibram X. Kendi, author and historian, wrote on Instagram. “Implying, if not saying, he should have known better. Implying, if not saying, whatever happened to him is partially, if not totally, his fault. Which is exactly the outcome of internalized racist ideas: anything that happens to us is our fault. Not the persons who did this to us. Not the racist structure that regularly allows it.”

The case also has some likening it to the mystery of how Tamla Horsford died in 2018. The mother of five was found in a backyard after attending an overnight house party in Forsyth County, Georgia. She was the only Black person in the group. For years, the family has sought answers about what happened.  

This story has been updated.

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