New details surrounding the investigation into Nolan Wells’ death has sparked more concerns. According to new reports, cellphone records offer fresh insight into the circumstances surrounding the case and the pressure those who reportedly accompanied him to Horn Island faced as suspicions intensified.
Phone Records Offer Insight Into Private Conversations Surrounding Nolan Wells’ Death
As The Shade Room previously reported, authorities discovered Nolan Wells’ body on Horn Island on July 6, two days after he traveled there to celebrate the Fourth of July. However, newly released cellphone records offer insight into how those who accompanied him to the island handled uncertainty and scrutiny. A 292-page report contains messages from 29 group chats connected to Wells’ phone. The conversations capture exchanges in the days following his death. The report also includes a log of his private Snapchat messages and reveals how some individuals handled allegations of possible involvement in his death. However, a grand jury ultimately decline to bring criminal charges in the case.
Private Messages Reportedly Capture Reactions To Nolan Going Missing
According to PEOPLE, cellphone messages reveal how individuals reacted after Nolan Wells went missing on July 4 and tried to determine who had last seen him. In one message from July 5, a user claimed Wells appeared to be fine during the early evening hours of July 4. However, by the early morning of July 5, several individuals had reached out to Wells, asking about his whereabouts and whether he was okay. As concerns grew an individual reportedly wrote in a group chat at 11:59 a.m. that day, “There is def some sus s**t going on.” Shortly afterward, another individual questioned how no knew Wells’ whereabouts despite the large crowd on Horn Island. The user wrote that “thousands of people” had been on “that damn island and nobody knows who he was with.”
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At 12:24p.m. on July 5, another group chat raised doubts about claims that Nolan chose to stay on the island. One user questioned why he would leave his phone behind if he planned to leave with someone else. “If he was gone ride with somebody why would he leave his phone on the boat,” the user wrote.
Later that afternoon, another individual suggested that everyone check their phones photos or videos that show Nolan in the background. The user also encouraged others to look for anyone he might have interacted with, writing,“See if he was talking to anyone we don’t know.” One individual claimed that Nolan appeared in a video from 12:39p.m. on July 5.
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Individuals Discuss Police Contact Following Nolan's Disappearance
At 6:52 p.m., an individual shared that police had contacted them. Later that evening, another group chat member questioned why anyone would suspect someone who accompanied Wells of killing him.
The following morning, July 6, at 9:22a.m., a group chat member shared “a little advice” about handling potential police questioning. The user encouraged others to request an attorney if investigators contacted them, calling it “the smart move.” They reportedly also stressed that seeking legal counsel wouldn’t imply guilt, but help protect them from potential police bias.
About 30 minutes later, another group chat participant appeared to react to news that authorities discovered Wells’ body writing, “They got him.” Meanwhile, individuals in a separate chat discussed how to handle potential questioning. One person urged others not to make assumptions, writing, “Don’t speculate about s**t y’all.” Another warned, “Bc they can try to get your a**.” Someone else encouraged the group to “just to stick to whatever happened.” Later. at 12:45p.m., another participant reportedly stated, “We have nothing to hide.”
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Alleged Group Chat Participants React To Cover-Up Allegations & Share Plans To Honor Nolan
As the conversations continued, group chat participants addressed allegations of a possible cover-up surrounding Nolan Wells’ death. On July 14, at 9:43 a.m., one individual brought up attending his funeral.
“We need to go to Nolan’s funeral and get with all our other black friends to prove a statement for the media.”
About an hour later, another participant suggested asking Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, whether she felt comfortable with them attending the service. By the evening of July 20, the conversation had shifted to plans to honor Wells with a memorial cross. One person suggested, “Bring his flips flops,” then seemingly added, “We can bury those as well.”
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Nolan Wells' Mother Questions Findings After Grand Jury Declines Charges
As TSR previously reported, a Jackson County grand jury decline to pursue criminal charges in connection with Nolan Wells’ death. District Attorney Angel Myers IIrath shared the decision on September 21, explaining that jurors found insufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing. The findings also addressed several lingering questions about the case. Both the Mississippi medical examiner’s office and an independent forensic pathologist classified Wells’ cause and manner of death as undetermined. The report also challenged widespread claims that Wells was the only Black individual on Horn Island during the Fourth of July gathering. Despite the grand jury’s decision, Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, continues to question the circumstances surrounding his death. She has expressed doubts about the possibility that an accident caused his death.
