Body found on Horn Island in search for missing 18‑year‑old Nolan Wells

newsJul 6, 202623571

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said a body was found Monday morning around 8:45 a.m. on the northwest end of Horn Island during the search for 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells. A park ranger discovered the body, which Sheriff Ledbetter said matched Wells’ description. Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd said DNA testing will officially confirm the identity but added "there is no reason to believe it is not him." Wells’ mother reported him missing late Saturday night after he was last seen on July 4 around 3 p.m. The search involved the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Department of Marine Resources, Gulf Islands National Seashore, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the United Cajun Navy. Wells played football at Ocean Springs High School and at Southwest Mississippi Community College, and the family shared social posts confirming their loss.

♌️ 🦁 Your Fav Leo 🐝 💛

@therealczezre.bsky.social

A black teen (18) by the name of Nolan Wells is missing in Mississippi. Last seen in Horn Island. He arrived w/ friends, but everyone returned back to shore except him. He was last seen wearing what you see in the below pics & His phone was left on land. #share #findourblackboys #blacklivesmatter

987h ago

The XXVIIth47

Uhhhhhhh I hate to hear this and also sounds like a story we have heard before. I have to admit I do not feel safe in spaces where WE are all not…. This is sad

Will 🎮🫯15

As someone who was in a similar situation like this at the age of 19 I’m praying for this young man and his family 🙏🏽❤️

Tae6

A fisherman found him dead 😔

Mayor of Chuckalisa (Dragoncon 2026)5

A sad but unfortunately very familiar tale.

O. ⟭⟬ᴱ ᴬᴿᴱ ᴮ⟬⟭ᶜᴷ ⊙⊝⊜5

sigh we know what happened, right? damn it

Kwanzaa Claus, MFA3

He’s been found deceased, unfortunately.

Quoting this

Crystal Voted 4 Harris28

He was found dead. The warning for Black people: DO NOT be the only Black person partying with white folks where drinking is involved. Treat it like the police encounter warnings. Reminder of the lone Black woman at slumber party that ended up dead.

Horatio Flamethrower🪷🇺🇸🇳🇬🇮🇪27

Black teen. Missing. Mississippi. My goodness. The places my mind immediately went. Especially after looking at the folks in those pictures. I hope he's found safe and sound.

Ellis on an Island 🇩🇴🗽25

Today we’re going to learn how to apply discernment when hanging out with people that don’t look like you.

Rob Mista19

I hope he gets found, I really do but my mom always warn me about being the only black person in areas for this exact reason , its scary

Talks Ted9

He will be found alive and well.

Karlito P8

Even back when I was in high school I knew how dangerous ( for myself ) to be the only black friends in a group, especially growing up in the south. My heart breaks for his family. And why haven’t I heard them “friends” being questioned by police

✨The seasoning fairy ✨6

We don’t need “friends” like these. #restinpower young man.

Pretty Khemyst6

We've heard this story before.😪

Blacksonic3

If you are a black parent, please talk to your child about having white friends only can lead to their death, keep our black children safe and aware of the people they hang around with

The Bulge Police3

See now … lemme bite my lips

Jules⚖️📨

@northjules.bsky.social

Authorities are still searching for 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells, who was last seen Saturday, July 4, around 3 p.m. on Horn Island, according to Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter. Why does this keep happening ⁉️

738h ago

Sheryl's baby. David's boy.5

Let me guess... everyone else is accounted for?

Momo1

and no one knows anything (wink, wink). I hope this young man is found safe.

Margaret G1

💔 what on Earth? 💔

aliii✨✨

@gigixmelo.bsky.social

A Wells family member has made a statement about the body found. Confirming that the body just discovered is Nolan Wells.

Wells family member on threads

Brittany Bright:
Our family has confirmed that Nolan has been found. Now it’s time for answers.

She’s quoting the local news article reporting on the body found on Horn Island during the search for missing 18 yr old Nolan Wells.

644h ago

Quoting this

The Cocky One 38

No friend group comes back home with one of their members missing and acting like it's no big deal.

RSJ.19

Drag each and every one of those “friends” of his into an interrogation room A-TF-SAP!

ItsAkemi12

And this why our Elders say don't go on trips if you're the only Black person in the group. Shit like this STILL happens in the big 2026

New Year Deezy11

Tragic... Heartbroken for them. The 3 of those friends need to be investigated.

🗣️ PaRappa Thee Yappa™ [of #BeehBC]7

Tragic but not surprising. I hope the family gets justice.

aliii✨✨6

His mom confirmed on Facebook as well….that Nolan Wells is gone.

✊🏽𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, Ⓝ𝘰𝘩𝘴 Ⓐ𝘭6

I saw the story on an IG post and when I saw the group shot, I knew that baby was gone. His 'friends' all need to be charged talmbout they don't remember what happened but them bitches made it back home safe. Stop letting our babies go with these savages.

But Black Dynamite...5

I have a "funny" feeling that the boys will be coached to say it was a random act of rough housing that went too far, that the black teen started it and when the "incident" happened, they suddenly didn't know what to do and it was a rush of the moment.

A-Wax5

Them white boys def killed him and they need to put them in prison.

Gay & Tonic4

I am so tired of this happening to us. Especially our youth.

BlackskyNews 🗞️

@blackskynews.blacksky.app

18-year-old, football player, Nolan Xavier Wells was last seen on July 4th on Horn Island in dark swim trunks and sunglasses. Anyone who saw Wells is asked to call Jackson County Deputies with information to help with the search for the missing teen. #BlackskyNews www.wlox.com/video/2026/0...

5012h ago

Quoting this

Mka76

Please don't ever be the only Black "friend" in a group of white people on a trip. Just don't do it, this keeps happening. Because what do you mean they have his phone but they don't know where he is?! I really hope they find him alive, I'm not confident they will.

Fiyah 🫟 Angelou 🪮 🏁18

This story cannot keep repeating itself unaddressed. No matter whose offspring may be involved.

Ida B Wells' Winchester Rifle7

This is giving Tamla Horsford energy

Born Sinner4

I want parents to educate their kids about why it’s wrong to be the only Black person amongst a group of wypipos

Annalise Maxine Shaw Keating, Openly Black Attorney at Law3

I hope they find him alive and well!

Sassy0210

@sassy0210.bsky.social

The community is mourning yet another young Black man. Nolan's mother has confirmed his death via Facebook and has asked for privacy as the family grieves. Nolan was missing since July 4, 2026 after he went to Horn Island, MS, with a group of friends. Nolan Xavier Wells, your life mattered. 💔

Direct Upload
Locally Uploaded Image
This image was uploaded directly to AltText AI for processing.

Two photos: one of a young Black man standing by the water, and another of four young men, including him, sitting together on a boat. Text above discusses justice for Nolan Wells.

431h ago

Fed up Democrat!!!!1

Jesus. So much hate. Rip young man. Smh

Mozelle Batiste Delacroix’s only son.

@roamingdruid.bsky.social

Nolan Wells, Tamla Horsford, and Alonzo Brooks are all precautionary tales. Two things all three of these people had in common is they were the sole Black person in their friend groups, and they were found dead “ mysteriously” while out with said friend groups.

454h ago

Quoting this

My name’s not Dray4

This happened recently in Mandeville Louisiana. There’s also the Black kid that had to be rescued because his “friends” left him in alligator infested water while cursing and yelling racial slurs at him.

Mississippi Free Press

@mississippifreepress.org

A park ranger found a body on Horn Island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast amid the search for 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells, an Ocean Springs resident who went missing while visiting the island with friends on the Fourth of July. www.mississippifreepress.org/ranger-finds...

352h ago

Quoting this

Ashton Pittman23

A horrific story from this weekend on the Mississippi Gulf Coast... still lots to learn.

The Angry Wisconsinite18

I’ve been very drunk in isolated locations before, but in each case I have been able to remember who I came with and made sure nobody got left behind. These kids are either extremely careless and sociopathic or they had something more directly to do with Nolan’s death, time to ask more questions.

Karlito P6

Family needs to request an independent autopsy. Don’t let the state do it. Trust no one

Sapphic Spock2

And this is why my son would never be the only one in the "friend" group. #IYKYK And im not victim-blaming. I’m saying we need to acknowledge there’s been a sharp turn that some folks want to take advantage of.

Sailor Michael

@sailormichael.bsky.social

So, my son's friend's brother went out on a 4th of July trip to Horn Island here in Mississippi. The people he went with came back and he was missing so, they found his body this morning and the family is devastated.

47Just now

Sailor Michael20

The finger pointing and race has come up again as he was the only Black person with this group and one of the young men's mother is a judge here allegedly. It's tense down here right now in the town. www.wlox.com/2026/07/06/u...

Florida Chris14

oh no! I saw something about this this morning. im so sorry to hear the update and sending love to your son and his friends.

Kacey3258

Oh no! That was your son's friend's brother. I am so sorry. I saw the story this morning. This is devasting and horrific. I hope they truly get to the bottom of what happened to him. Prayers for his family.💔

LL7

Oh I am so sorry- I saw Ashton Pittmans post about this- my condolences and I hope they get to the bottom of what happened 💔

Alissa McLean6

Oh, I'm so so sorry. I saw that story yesterday and was so afraid this would be the outcome.

It is the Winter of Our Discontent…6

Oh no! I am so very very sorry. This is just awful.

Sean Padilla Says #ProtectJho and #FreeLink

@seanpadilla.blacksky.app

The Nolan Xavier Wells situation is giving me flashbacks of when I was in middle school and got abandoned by my White classmates and so-called “friends” in the middle of upstate New York My “aunt” Judith had to make the drive from NYC to pick me up when I was stranded on the road

326h ago

Sean Padilla Says #ProtectJho and #FreeLink10

bsky.app/profile/sean... = More about my “aunt” Judith, for those who don’t know

Gustaue Flavbert2

ugh I'm so sorry that happened to you; that must have been bewildering and terrifying and lonely

Georgia2

I hope that poor kid is found safe and I'm sorry other kids were so horrible to you.

Little Booty Vegan Boy

@dayoftheweek.blacksky.app

Idc how they spin this Nolan Xavier Wells investigation, real friends are not leaving the island until EVERYONE who came together, leaves together. 😔

196h ago

jorgé 🇩🇴1

For real tho. How do you leave your friends behind? Makes no sense at all!

Eze Thee Eze

@ezetheigwe.blacksky.app

This Nolan Wells story is hitting close to home, because that could’ve easily been me or one of my brothers growing up. My heart breaks for his family.

121h ago

💅🏻The Wrestling Mermaid🧜‍♀️

@jmothemermaid.bsky.social

All of those “friends”need to be investigated. RIP Nolan Xavier Wells. Just awful.

52h ago

Every Day Is Juneteenth

@everydayjuneteenth.bsky.social

Remembering Nolan Wells, a son, brother, grandson, friend and talented athlete. Our thoughts are with those who knew and loved him 🙏🏾🕊️ #blacksky #mississippi

8Just now

Atlanta Black Star

@atlblackstar.bsky.social

A Mississippi family is desperately searching for 19-year-old Nolan Wells after the Black teen vanished following a Fourth of July celebration with white friends.

35h ago

Beware of my name

@samiam411.blacksky.app

💔My heart breaks for Nolan Wells family and loved ones. Keeping them lifted in prayer. There continues to be way too many of these stories. Sick to my stomach.

43h ago

3 sources

wlox.comBody found on Horn Island during search for missing 18-year-old Nolan Wells fox40jackson.comBody found on Horn Island during search for missing 18-year-old Nolan Wells newsone.comNolan Wells Missing: What Happened To The Black Teen Who Vanished On Horn Island On The Fourth Of July?

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Body found on Horn Island in search for missing 18‑year‑old Nolan Wells

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