Mother Confirms Death of Missing 18-Year-Old After Body Recovered on Horn Island
Nolan Xavier Wells, 18, was confirmed dead after a park ranger discovered a body matching his description on Horn Island; authorities await DNA results while his family and school mourn his loss.
A body found by a park ranger on Horn Island on Saturday was later identified as that of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells, who had been missing since July 4. The identification was confirmed by the Jackson County sheriff and coroner, though the cause of death remains undetermined pending DNA testing.
Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, posted on Facebook that the family is "absolutely devastated" and expressed her grief over her son's death. The Southwest Mississippi Community College president, J. Steven Bishop, said the campus community is mourning the loss of a student who was a wide receiver for the SMCC Bears and described Wells as an exemplary student and teammate.
Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. on Saturday on Horn Island after spending the day on a boat with friends. A multi-agency search effort involving the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, the Gulf Islands National Seashore and the volunteer United Cajun Navy was conducted.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by a family friend had raised more than $14,000 by Monday evening to assist the family.