July 8, 2026 / 11:27 AM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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The family of Nolan Wells, a teenager found dead on an island off Mississippi after he had been missing for days, is seeking answers about the circumstances surrounding his death. They have retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump.Wells, 18, was last seen on July 4 on Horn Island, where he had taken a boat trip with friends to celebrate the holiday, officials said. His body was discovered Monday off the coast of the island, following a search that involved multiple local, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the National Park Service. Dental records confirmed the body was Wells, Jackson County coroner Bruce Lynd told CBS News. An autopsy took place Tuesday, Lynd said, but the results were not immediately made public. In a statement released Tuesday, Crump said the family is searching for answers about the events leading up to Wells' death."Nolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate and friend who went out to celebrate the Fourth of July and never came home. His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth," Crump said. "We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light, and we call on investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves."Crump was also recently retained by the family of a Mississippi 1-year-old who was killed when police fired into a moving car.Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said Wells traveled to Horn Island by boat with his friends on Saturday but did not return to the mainland with them that afternoon. He was last seen on the island at 3 p.m., according to Crump's office. His mother reported Wells missing later that night.
