Family of Missing Mississippi Teen Engages Audio Experts to Examine July 4 Distress Call

An attorney for the family of 18-year-year-old Nolan Wells said Thursday that the relatives have retained audio-engineering specialists to examine a July 4 distress call made from a boat off Horn Island, Mississippi. The call, released by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, captured a request for assistance after the vessel’s bilge pump failed and the boat began taking on water.

"We're not trying to cast aspersions on anybody, we want the truth," civil-rights lawyer Ben Crump said at the National Urban League Conference, adding that the family seeks a thorough review of the recording and of phones belonging to friends who traveled with Wells.

Law enforcement officials have indicated that witnesses reported Wells was not on the boat when it left the island, and the Jackson County sheriff has said investigators do not suspect foul play. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family was inconclusive, and the official autopsy will remain sealed pending a grand-jury review, a standard practice in the county.

Wells’ parents, who also spoke at the conference, appealed for information, stating, "We will not rest until we get answers." The family’s legal team has issued cease-and-desist letters to individuals making defamatory claims online and is considering additional legal action.

The case has generated extensive online discussion, with some users alleging misconduct by Wells’ friends, who are white high-school classmates. Those friends have reported receiving threats and being doxed after the audio was posted.

Crump also referenced recent deaths of two other Black teenagers, Tyler Smith and Daniel Erving, describing the investigations as similar and calling for accountability.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Wells’ disappearance and death.