Nolan Wells' Family Says Independent Autopsy Raises Questions

An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of 18-year-old Nolan Wells found evidence of what may be an injury to the back of his head, raising new questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.

Speaking on behalf of the family, attorney Ben Crump said the independent examination identified a “focal area of red discoloration in the soft tissue in the back of the head.” According to Crump, the area measured approximately 12 by 8 inches and was located near the lower portion of Wells’ skull.

However, the independent medical examiner was unable to determine whether the discoloration represented bruising or was the result of postmortem blood pooling because Wells’ body had undergone significant decomposition by the time of the examination, TMZ reports.

Crump also revealed that when the body was turned over to the independent medical examiner, portions of Wells’ throat were missing. Those tissues had reportedly been removed by the official medical examiner for additional testing, a factor Crump said further complicates efforts to determine exactly how Wells died.

As a result, the independent autopsy did not reach a definitive conclusion about Wells’ cause or manner of death. Crump said both remain undetermined, adding that the independent medical examiner could not rule out the possibility of foul play.

The independent autopsy was conducted by Dr. Roger Mitchell, a board-certified forensic pathologist who serves as president of the National Medical Association and Howard University Hospital. Mitchell also previously served as chief medical examiner for Washington, D.C., according to TMZ.

During a news conference, Wells’ mother spoke emotionally about the devastating loss of her son, saying there is no greater pain than losing a child. She said her family’s only priority is learning what happened to Nolan and criticized what she described as false accusations of racism directed at her family, saying they have only compounded their grief.

The official autopsy findings have not yet been released.

Wells was found dead off the coast of Horn Island on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, two days after he disappeared during the Fourth of July weekend.

Authorities initially announced that Wells had died by drowning, but Crump has publicly challenged that conclusion, expressing concern that investigators could overlook or minimize evidence pointing to another cause of death.

Those concerns have been echoed by several high-profile supporters, including the Rev. Al Sharpton and filmmaker Tyler Perry, who have each offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction if foul play is ultimately confirmed.

Wells’ family has also questioned the official timeline, with his mother alleging that messages were deleted from her son’s cellphone after his body was recovered.

Video obtained from Horn Island on July 4 may provide one of the last known glimpses of Wells alive. The footage appears to show a man believed to be Wells bending over to retrieve a drink from a cooler just hours before he disappeared.

See social media’s reaction to the independent autopsy below.