Jackson County Grand Jury Declines to Indict in Nolan Wells Death Case

A Jackson County grand jury unanimously returned a no-true-bill in the investigation of Nolan Xavier Wells, who died on July 4 and whose body was recovered the next day on Horn Island. The jurors reviewed witness testimony, physical and digital evidence, GPS and cellphone data, videos and investigative reports, and concluded there was no credible evidence of criminal conduct or racial motivation.

The district attorney, in a video statement, rejected claims that Wells was the only Black person among a group of friends on the island, describing the narrative as false. He said Wells traveled with a large group on three boats—Triton, Palm Beach and Tideline—and chose to remain on the island after the vessels departed. The grand jury found no evidence linking any participants to wrongdoing.

The report noted that the Triton experienced a bilge pump and motor malfunction on July 4, was briefly towed, and that a search of Horn Island on July 5 would likely have found Wells if he had still been there. Both the state chief medical examiner and an independent doctor listed the manner of death as undetermined, with drowning noted as a possible diagnosis and no signs of fatal injury or disease.

Witnesses described Wells slipping from a boat around 3:30 p.m. on July 4 but said he continued socializing without apparent injury. Toxicology tests found no cocaine in his system. The district attorney said the allegations had been amplified despite contradictory evidence.

The grand jury expressed sympathy for Wells’ family and friends, noting his “outstanding character.” It also stated that Mississippi has no statute of limitations for homicide cases, and that any new credible evidence could be presented to a future grand jury.