Nolan Wells, a Mississippi teen, was found dead after he did not return from a Fourth of July boating celebration with friends

Nolan Wells/photo/Facebook

The body of a missing Mississippi teen, Nolan Wells, was discovered on Horn Island by a park ranger on Monday morning. According to his mother, Christine Wonsley, Nolan went missing after a boating trip with friends on the 4th of July holiday.

Nolan attended Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he played wide receiver on the football team. He would have turned 19 in August.

Authorities reported that a park ranger found his remains with assistance from several agencies, including the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the U.S. Park Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

Photo/Facebook via Christine Wonsley

In a heartfelt message on social media, Christine Wonsley confirmed her son's death, saying, “I want to thank our family, friends, community, United Cajun Navy, local law enforcement, and everyone involved for all the love, support, resources over the last few days. His father, our family, friends, and I are absolutely devastated. My heart [is] broken for my sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others. Nolan was a special soul; God took his time creating our son. I ask that you please give me and my family time to grieve,” his mother wrote on Facebook. 

Nolan and his parents (Elmore and Christine Wonsley)/GoFundMe

According to Ebony Magazine, “It was also reported by Cajun Navy Incident Commander Josh Gill in a video statement that Wells was with a young lady on the island before his disappearance. The young lady’s mother, Gracie McCormack, has confirmed via Facebook that her daughter, Katie, was with Wells and has been in contact with his family regarding the situation, but has no insight into his disappearance after the two parted ways from hanging out.”

Nolan's family reported him missing when he was the only one who failed to return home from the trip. While authorities have not yet announced the cause of death, foul play has reportedly not been ruled out. A video has surfaced on social media, that was allegedly recorded on the shores of Horn Island, which allegedly captures audio from an argument between Nolan and another individual. The audio is still being investigated.

Photo/Facebook

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday. Attorney Ben Crump is reportedly representing the Wells family. Attorney Crump's office gave the following statement, "We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light, and we call on investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves."

Josh Gill, the Incident Commander for the United Cajun Navy and a member of Nolan's search team, spoke with US Sun News. He encourages the Wells family to keep the case "alive," stating that "the truth needs to come out about exactly what happened." He believes it is essential for both the public and the Wells family to know what transpired on the day Nolan died.

Nolan’s best friend, Jayvon Williams, 17, shared that he also went on the trip, yet he traveled to the island on a different boat than Nolan because Nolan’s boat was at capacity. He reportedly last saw Nolan around 4:00 PM on Saturday and noted that Nolan was with a female companion at that time. Williams also mentioned that he and Nolan had left their phones on Nolan's boat, and he later returned to retrieve his.

Nolan's friends, Trace Carter and Jayvon Williams/photo/Sun Herald

Suspicions about the true cause of his disappearance continue to surface on social media. Some of the teens who went on the trip with Nolan have reportedly deactivated their social media accounts since his disappearance. Law enforcement spoke to Good Morning America, stating that, according to the information they received from the teens' boatmates, “From what we understand, he chose to stay there,” Sheriff Ledbetter told Good Morning America.

Nolan attended Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he played wide receiver on the football team. He would have turned 19 in August.

A GoFundMe has been created for his family. This is a developing story.

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