Group chats reveal friends' reactions after Mississippi teen Nolan Wells disappears
Messages from Nolan Wells' phone show his friends' speculation and frustration following his disappearance and the later recovery of his body, while officials say no criminal evidence was found.
Group chats extracted from the late 18-year-old's cellphone detail the conversations among his friends after he vanished during a Fourth of July boat outing on the Gulf Coast. According to the nearly 300-page report posted on the Justice for Nolan Wells website, friends noted that Wells left the boat with another individual and walked away, prompting some to describe the situation as suspicious. The messages show attempts to locate him, including requests to review camera rolls and identify unfamiliar contacts.
Friends also expressed uncertainty about his whereabouts, with some suggesting he might have been drugged. Two days after his disappearance, Wells' body was recovered in the waters off Horn Island. In the wake of the discovery, a participant wrote that Wells was "the most nice and caring guy we knew."
The chats later reflected frustration over media coverage, with participants commenting on perceived racial disparities in reporting.
"There is nothing in the recently released report that would change the district attorney's conclusion that there is no evidence of a crime," legal analyst Jessica Levinson told CBS News.
Jackson County's district attorney previously announced that a grand jury found no criminal wrongdoing in Wells' death.