Attorney Ben Crump, who has been hired by the family of Nolan Xavier Wells after the 18-year-old’s death, has shared a photo that appears to show him at a land-based pool party in Jackson County on July 5, a day before he was found dead. Crump stressed that he does not know “if these are facts or rumors.” The photo has surfaced widely on social media.
The Ocean Springs, Mississippi, teen was reportedly found dead in the water on the northwest end of Horn Island on Monday morning, July 6. Wells went missing on July 4 after taking a boat to the island with friends. The search for the teen was called off after a body was found by a park ranger on Monday, July 6.
“Repost from @shanneltarottv :(Nolan Wells investigation update: The streets are talking! Now listen, I don’t know if these are facts or rumors because no official statements have been confirmed. We sometimes have to follow all clues until the truth is found. Here is what was discovered on social media last night. Social media allegations claim a photo exists of Nolan at a land-based pool party in Jackson County before 1:00 AM on July 5th.),” Crump captioned the photo, shared on Instagram.
The photo shows a group of youngsters in a pool, with a boy marked with red to indicate he is Wells. His face is not clearly visible in the photo.
Nolan Wells’ cause of death revealed?
{{/usCountry}}The photo shows a group of youngsters in a pool, with a boy marked with red to indicate he is Wells. His face is not clearly visible in the photo.
Nolan Wells’ cause of death revealed?
{{/usCountry}}A cause of death for Wells has not been revealed. Crump said that the family is pursuing an independent autopsy.
Crump said in a recent interview with Don Lemon that the body was being flown to Washington, D.C., for a medical examiner to study.
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Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said that an investigation remains active. TMZ reported that the sheriff's office was investigating a video shared on social media that appeared to show people arguing on Horn Island on the holiday. The video shows a crowded beach, and it is unclear if it is related to the case.
Crump and his legal team are planning to conduct an independent review, and have committed to urging "the timely release of all records, witness accounts, and autopsy findings."