Independent Autopsy in Nolan Wells' Death Ruled 'Undetermined,' Attorney Says Foul Play Can't Be Ruled Out

An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old Mississippi football player whose death last month drew national attention, found his cause and manner of death "undetermined," the family's attorney said Wednesday, while adding that foul play could not be ruled out.

Attorney Ben Crump announced the preliminary findings at a news conference held during the 117th NAACP National Convention. He said the doctor who performed the independent autopsy could not eliminate the possibility of foul play in Wells' death, based on findings that included red discoloration on the back of the teenager's head.

What the independent autopsy found

The autopsy was performed by Dr. Roger Mitchell, a board-certified forensic pathologist and president of the National Medical Association, the oldest and largest organization representing Black physicians in the United States. According to Crump, the examination took place July 10, six days after Wells disappeared and four days after his body was recovered from the water off Horn Island, a barrier island along Mississippi's Gulf Coast.

Crump said the report did not include a toxicology analysis. He also said the report appeared to have significant gaps, which he attributed to missing body parts and incomplete procedures by the time Mitchell examined Wells' remains. Due to the level of decomposition, Crump said, Mitchell could not determine whether there was any bruising on Wells' body. The report also noted that portions of Wells' throat were missing when the body was received for review, a detail Crump said prevented investigators from ruling out injury to the neck as a possible contributing factor or cause of death.

Mitchell's report additionally could not determine whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water, or how exactly he ended up there, according to Crump.

A separate, still-pending state autopsy

Alongside the independent examination, the Jackson County coroner's office conducted its own autopsy on Wells' body. Those results have not yet been released publicly, as the coroner's office continues to wait on a toxicology report from the state medical examiner's office. Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd told NBC News on Tuesday that the state's autopsy report remained unfinished.

Crump called on local law enforcement officials to share their findings from the state autopsy with Mitchell, and said Mitchell should be included when a Mississippi grand jury eventually reviews the results of the broader death investigation.

What is known about Wells' disappearance

Wells was last seen alive on the afternoon of July 4, though the exact time has not been established. He had traveled to Horn Island, an uninhabited, federally protected barrier island accessible only by boat, to celebrate the holiday with a group of high school friends. According to accounts his friends later gave to investigators, the group had to leave the island early after their boat began taking on water, but Wells told them he planned to stay behind and catch a ride back later with others who remained on the island.

Wells did not return home that night, and his mother reported him missing around midnight. His body was discovered two days later, on July 6, by a U.S. Park Service ranger patrolling the island. The Jackson County Sheriff's Department confirmed the discovery occurred around 8:45 a.m. on the island's western shore.

The family's push for answers

Wells' parents, Christine Wells-Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, spoke publicly before Crump revealed the independent autopsy's findings Wednesday. "There's so many people out in the public asking all of these questions, but the only question that we have is what happened to our son," Wells-Wonsley said. She said the family pursued an independent autopsy in part because the state-run report had not yet been released. "It is our hope that our local authorities will do what they need to do, because us having the preliminary autopsy results and hearing nothing from them — it's heartbreaking, and it's concerning," she said. "Which again is why we are here, why we have asked for this help."

Elmore Wonsley echoed his wife's call for transparency. "We want to know what happened to our son because the things that you're telling us — that's not the character of our son. We know our son," he said.

Crump and Wells' parents have publicly rejected the notion, previously raised by some in law enforcement, that Wells simply drowned, and have said Wells was a strong swimmer with an athletic build, adding that they believe the circumstances surrounding his death do not add up. At the same time, people familiar with Horn Island have told NBC News it would not be surprising if Wells had been caught in a current and drowned, particularly on the island's western side, which is known locally for rough water conditions.

A reward for information

Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, former NFL player Terrell Owens and filmmaker Tyler Perry have jointly offered $125,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for Wells' death, Crump announced in a release earlier this week.

A funeral and a case still open

Wells was laid to rest Monday in a ceremony in his hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, followed by a gathering for his friends, family and teammates. At the funeral, held at Center Pointe Church, his mother remembered him warmly. "Nolan had such a gentle, calming spirit about him. He had a way of making people feel seen, welcome, and valued," Wells-Wonsley said during the service. "He could lift your confidence with just a few words and make you feel like you belonged."

The investigation into Wells' death remains ongoing, with the state autopsy results still pending and no determination yet made on cause or manner of death by either the independent or state examinations. This is a developing story, and further findings are expected as both investigations continue.