By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-07-18 16:48:41 | Updated at 2026-07-27 02:54:48
1 week ago
Friends of Nolan Wells were heard calmly asking 911 operators for assistance after their boat began taking on water shortly before the teenager apparently drowned, new audio reveals.
Wells, 18, was found dead on the northwestern tip of Horn Island, just south of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, two days after a Fourth of July boating trip.
He allegedly stayed behind on the island while his friends returned to the mainland on a boat, according to authorities.
Audio which has since been obtained by CBS reveals how the teenagers contacted 911 seeking help when the vessel apparently began to sink.
'Hey we're at the west tip of Horn, and our bilge pump stopped working,' a male voice is heard saying.' We're sinking can y'all please come.'
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said authorities do not suspect foul play in Wells' death and believe that he chose to stay behind on the island.
Authorities initially believed that he died from drowning, although no cause of death has officially been released.
His family hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been involved in multiple high-profile cases, including representing George Floyd's family, as police investigate how the teen died.
Nolan Xavier Wells, 18, (second from right) was found dead on Horn Island two days after partying with friends on Fourth of July weekend
A 911 call made from friends on the boat which left Wells behind has emerged in the wake of his death
The family's legal team has demanded a thorough and urgent investigation and Crump has raised questions surrounding the teen's death.
On Sunday, Crump reshared an Instagram post suggesting Wells may have made it back to the island and attended a pool party before he died.
'The streets are talking! Now listen, I don't know if these are facts or rumors because no official statements have been confirmed,' the repost from an account called Shannel Tarot TV said.
The post continued: 'We sometimes have to follow all clues until the truth is found. Here is what was discovered on social media last night.
'Social media allegations claim a photo exists of Nolan at a land-based pool party in Jackson County before 1am on July 5.'
The post included an image of a group of young people in a swimming pool, with a black boy in the background whose face is not visible, circled in red.
An attorney for Wells' family shared a photo of the football player allegedly at a pool party before he died, declaring it as evidence that the current timeline surrounding his death may be flawed.
The family is calling for a thorough investigation into his death and have queried the official narrative of events
Attorney, Ben Crump for Nolan Wells' family shared a photo of the football player allegedly at a pool party before he died which he suggested casts doubt on the timeline of events
The photo has not been verified, and the Daily Mail contacted Crump and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office for more information.
At a press conference in New York City on July 10, his mother, Christine Wonsley, revealed the heartfelt last moment she had with her son before he went off to party.
He told her: 'Hey, mom, I'm about to go, love you.'
Wells gave his mother a hug and a kiss and left to spend the night at a friend's house before they headed to the island the next morning.
Police are also investigating a video that allegedly shows a heated argument on the beach, where Wells can allegedly be heard saying: 'Give me my freaking phone, what are you freaking doing?'
Authorities confirmed that Wells' friends had his phone at the time of his death. The teenager's family also suggested that messages and other items had been deleted from the device.
The cell phone will be reviewed by officials and independent experts, according to Crump.
The lawyer also said Wells' body was flown 800 miles to Washington, DC, for an independent autopsy.
'We just want to know what happened and why our baby didn’t come home,' Wonsley said at the press conference.
A GoFundMe was launched for the teen's family for funeral expenses and additional support.
