Nolan Wells’ Parents Speak Out: ‘We Just Want Honesty and Transparency’

This story has been updated.

Christine Wonsley, holding her husband Elmore’s hand, couldn’t hold back the tears.

It’s been days since the couple learned their son Nolan Xavier Wells’s 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. 

As Christine 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 on Good Morning America.

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

The family is conducting an independent investigation with support from their counsel Ben Crump. Wells’ body has been flown to Washington, D.C. for an autopsy, which is funded by Colin Kaepernick, Crump announced.

For the first time on national television, the Wonsleys broke their silence when host Michael Strahan asked, “What would you like them to know about your son?”

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 on Monday. His parents had prepared to take him back to attend his football camp at Southwest Mississippi Community College.

But, Christine 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,” Christine 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.”

What happened after Nolan Wells disappeared?

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 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, Wells’ mother, 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. In the days since Wells has been missing, local authorities say it’s been an “all boots on the ground” search as his terrified parents search for answers.

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 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 pm on July 4th. They left around 4:30 pm 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’s 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.”

Early Monday, online conversations grew, as blogs and Black content creators wondered what happened to the college freshman. Many questioned why, as the only Black person, Wells was left behind and the lack of details that have emerged, which heightens concerns rooted in the history of racial violence between Black and white people. Some have speculated that foul play may be involved, although it has not been confirmed by authorities.

“How is this able to just keep happening?” one person commented. “What happened to this poor baby?”

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.  

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