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Two different autopsies have been performed on Nolan Wells after the 18-year-old's family pushed for an independent review of his body.On July 22, Wells' family's attorney, Ben Crump, announced at a news conference that an independent autopsy, separate from the one conducted by the state medical examiner, found the teen died of undetermined causes.Wells, a football player at Southwest Mississippi Community College, was found dead on July 6 after being reported missing following a Fourth of July trip with friends to Mississippi's Horn Island.The case has garnered widespread attention from the public and prominent figures as Wells' family raised questions about his disappearance.Officials have said they have not found signs of foul play and are continuing to investigate. But speculation around Wells' death has continued to intensify as new details have emerged.Crump has also said Wells' family does not accept that the teen could have accidentally drowned given he was a strong swimmer.Here's what to know about the two separate autopsies.Why were two autopsies performed on Nolan Wells?The first autopsy was conducted by the Mississippi state medical examiner on July 7, Bailey C. Martin, a spokesperson for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, confirmed in a July 22 statement to USA TODAY."The examination was performed in accordance with the standard procedures and protocols followed for all autopsies conducted by the Office of the State Medical Examiner," Martin said.A forensic autopsy, like this one, is typically done when a person's death is suspicious, sudden or being investigated as a crime, according to the Cleveland Clinic.The second autopsy was done independently by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell and paid for by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, Crump said at a July 22 news conference.The independent autopsy was performed on July 10, three days after the Mississippi state medical examiner's evaluation.Crump said at a July 10 press conference that Wells' family pushed for the second autopsy because they "wanted to make sure that they had a doctor who had no ties to Mississippi law enforcement to do a independent examination of their son's body."What are the results of the medical examiner autopsy?The results of the state medical examiner's autopsy on Wells have not been released to the public. Martin said officials will not comment on the investigation or the independent autopsy at this time."We ask the public to allow the investigative process to take its course. When the investigation is complete and appropriate information can be released, it will be shared," Martin said.What are the results of the independent autopsy?The independent autopsy said Wells' cause and manner of death were undetermined pending further investigation. Mitchell said foul play could not be ruled out.Mitchell wrote in the independent report that the inconclusive findings are in part because of the lack of details around the circumstances of Wells' death – like how the teen may have entered the water and if he was conscious when he did.The pathologist also he did not have Wells' toxicology results, which would be a major factor for his findings.Because of the body's decomposition and the fact that an initial autopsy had already been conducted, Mitchell said he was unable to fully examine Wells' airway and stomach.Mitchell also said in his report that he received Wells' body without portions of the neck and throat. The doctor said he assumed that these portions of the body were retained by the medical examiner for additional evaluation, which is a common practice.In Mitchell's report, one of the notable findings was an area of red discoloration on tissue at the back of Wells' head by the occipital bone."We actually saw the picture of it. It's significant, you can't help but notice, why is this dark red here in the back of his head?" Crump said at the July 22 press conference.What's next for the Nolan Wells case?Officials are continuing to investigate Wells' death, Martin said."We understand the public's interest in this case, but we continue to urge everyone to remain patient and avoid making assumptions or drawing conclusions before the investigation is complete," Martin said.Crump said he and Wells' family will continue pushing for transparency from investigators."This is only another part of the puzzle. And even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time," Crump said at the July 22 press conference.Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
