Friend says Nolan Wells was urged to board boat before he went missing on Horn Island

A friend of the late 18-year-old Mississippi high-school football player Nolan Wells said he repeatedly urged Wells to board a boat that later left Horn Island, where Wells disappeared during a Fourth of July outing. Warren Hudson, who described Wells as his "best friend," told a YouTuber that Wells was asked several times to get on the vessel because it was experiencing bilge-pump problems. Hudson said another companion shouted, "Nolan, get the F on the boat, we’re leaving," before Wells chose to stay on the island. The boat was reportedly towed away around 4:30 p.m. after taking on water.

Wells' parents noted that when his phone was returned, it contained no recent Snapchat content, and they expressed frustration over delays in retrieving his phone and car keys from his friends. Hudson attributed the lack of phone use to the island environment, saying visitors often leave phones behind while wading in water.

According to Hudson, he realized Wells might be missing later that night while at a friend's house, contacted Wells' mother for a phone number, and then called the Coast Guard after confirming she had not heard from her son. The district attorney said the official autopsy results will remain sealed until a grand jury reviews the evidence. An independent autopsy noted a red discoloration on the back of Wells' head that could suggest trauma, but the findings were inconclusive.

Attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, was not available for comment. Wells was buried two weeks after his body was recovered, with his mother urging mourners to keep his memory alive.