Independent autopsy finds Nolan Wells' cause of death 'undetermined'

generalJul 22, 202628376

A preliminary independent autopsy released Wednesday found the cause and manner of death for 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells undetermined, family attorney Ben Crump said. Wells’ body was found July 6 along the shoreline of Horn Island off the Mississippi coast after he was last seen July 4 in the afternoon. Forensic pathologist Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., who performed the privately funded independent autopsy requested by the family, said several limitations prevented a definitive determination, including that he did not have access to all of Wells’ remains after the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on July 7. Mitchell noted it is common practice to retain anterior neck structures during an initial autopsy and said he cannot rule out injury to the neck as a contributor or cause of death. The state’s autopsy results have not been released and remain pending standard toxicology tests. Wells’ death drew nationwide attention and questions about whether race played a role, after photos showed him on a Fourth of July boat trip to the uninhabited Horn Island with mostly White friends and at least one other Black friend. Authorities and the family say investigations are ongoing.

HERmone Biles 🐐

@meekayelah.blacksky.app

Nolan Wells feels like Kendrick Johnson all over again 😕

5345d ago

ᴍʀ. ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇғᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴀɴ5

Yes! Was having this conversation a week or two ago and you’re absolutely right. I still don’t understand how they say he fell into that mat and the hole was smaller than the width of his shoulders. WHERE ARE HIS ORGANS?!?

Hunt2

Or any number of cases of Black people being found publicly hung but categorized as suicides…🤨

👑 8.1 🦁 wilhelmina slater ✨2

don’t get me fuckin started!

A Side Eye2

It’s all infuriating but Kendrick Johnson struck a deep nerve.

Capt. Vlad ⚓1

I said the same thing

Msviintage1

Feels like a lot of cases unfortunately….cant shake it at all. Hope that family gets real answers 💐

Quoting this

BlackPrincess💫8

when that young black woman went to a sleepover and “mysteriously” was found dead the next day

Sexy Soulaan 🫦🦋💄5

THIS!!!! I will never forget that story either.

𝕊𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕪𝔹𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖𝕤

@saltybitchables.bsky.social

The autopsy results are announced live. Equal justice for Nolan Wells. ✊🏻🔥 They should investigate this shooting as if it were their own child that was shot in the head. #Proudblue #NolanWells #Mississippi www.youtube.com/live/0Hlr4NT...

3445d ago

pattyanne49.bsky.social1

So bottom line is the medical examiner in Mississippi did NOT submit crucial findings for the 2nd autopsy. Why not and when will those records be released to be included in the current autopsy? Why does this not surprise me?

RoseMarie

@rosesbloom24.bsky.social

For Nolan Wells’ family, the most disturbing revelation from his independent autopsy wasn’t simply that doctors couldn’t determine how he died–it was that they couldn’t examine one of the most critical parts of his body because it was missing. www.theroot.com/missing-rema...

3045d ago

drrobert2.bsky.social1

This crime is becoming more horrific as time goes on.

Written by Uju ✍🏽

@writtenbyuju.bsky.social

The people who love you deserve clarity, not a lifetime of questions. Every family deserves to know what happened to the person they lost. Nolan Wells’ family deserves that too. 😞

3845d ago

Mississippi Free Press

@mississippifreepress.org

Nolan Wells’ cause and manner of death are "undetermined" pending further investigation, the preliminary findings of an independent autopsy show, civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced on Wednesday morning. www.mississippifreepress.org/nolan-wells-...

2745d ago

Ashton Pittman

@ashtonpittman.bsky.social

The forensic pathologist who examined Nolan Wells said the independent autopsy is inconclusive in part because the Mississippi Medical Examiner’s Office retained some of Wells’ body parts, which he said was likely for the purpose of further examination, a “common forensic pathology practice.”

3145d ago

Tee remains in her Villainess Era...2

I ran across this on Facebook earlier today.

Quoting this

Kimberly Griffin21

Follow this guy and the @mississippifreepress.org for factual and accurate information on the Nolan Wells case.

Tee remains in her Villainess Era...3

I saw this over on FB today, which may offer some further explanation of the preliminary finding.

Stacey J. Spiehler2

I am just gutted for this mama, having to deal with the loss and the spectacle. I’ve cried so many times for her.

Our Man Tho 🇻🇮 🇵🇷

@hitdogsholler.com

Not optimistic about any justice for Nolan Wells. All I can say is, keep ya kids away from them white people. And I mean that shit with all my heart.

1945d ago

Meidas Charise Lee 💙🌊🌴🥥🫘

@chariselee.bsky.social

The cause of death is undetermined because the 2nd medical examiner didn’t get all of Nolan Wells body. We have more questions than answers

1545d ago

HuffPost

@huffpost.com

The teen’s body was already too decomposed at the time of the second autopsy and some of the organs were already dissected or missing, said civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

945d ago

Quoting this

Muffin Men Stan 🤎🙂‍↕️15

You know who else’s body parts were missing in a case that was determined to be an “accident” by local law enforcement?

OuterBoroPrincess11

“Everybody knows about Mississippi, GOD DAMNNNNN!”

Osiris, as Mystique's Wig11

So... They went into that man's body and messed everything up so that nothing could be deduced? Does that count as destroying evidence?

Wonder Woman 🐝 Demands Justice7

His throat was missing?! Wtaf?!

quaithe of the shadow asshai4

See? Somebody is trying to cover this shit up

PortiaMcGonagal

@portiamcgonagal.bsky.social

Released ahead of the state's. Don't make more of this than it says...care and time need to be taken with getting the facts. "...the doctor who performed the autopsy said in the report that he could not rule out foul play,..." www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

1345d ago

Craig R. Brittain

@craigbrittain.com

"This pathologist cannot rule out if any intervening non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death of Nolan Wells. He cannot rule out foul play."

944d ago

Teela (Don't call me. Call your MoC 202-224-3121)

@teela.bsky.social

What did they do to him? And, why did they? May all their nights & days will be full of visuals of their act! Preliminary findings from an independent autopsy have been released in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, who disappeared during a 4th of July boating trip to Horn Island, Mississippi.

945d ago

The Bulge Police

@jrzthoughts.bsky.social

I don’t wanna hear anything about Nolan Wells case until they start arresting ppl.

1145d ago

Rachel Hatzipanagos

@rachelbianca.bsky.social

Nolan Wells' throat was missing when his body was sent to DC for an independent autopsy, attorney Ben Crump said. As a result of this an other issues, the cause of death is still "undetermined."

545d ago

Dogkowski1

How did it go missing?

Rachel Hatzipanagos1

Yes, it’s unusual, and the family is pushing for why and what happened

O. ⟭⟬ᴱ ᴬᴿᴱ ᴮ⟬⟭ᶜᴷ ⊙⊝⊜

@odette3.bsky.social

My heart goes out to Nolan Wells' parents. I hope every single person who killed him is jailed and their parents are jailed as well, for helping to cover this up. The latest autopsy reports made me sick to my stomach.

1145d ago

3 sources

cnn.comPreliminary independent autopsy results for Nolan Wells’ death are released | CNN usatoday.comNolan Wells independent autopsy says cause of death undetermined npr.orgIndependent autopsy "inconclusive" on cause of death for 18-year-old Nolan Wells in Mississippi