The family of Nolan Xavier Wells, the 18-year-old Mississippi football player whose body was found near Horn Island after he disappeared during a Fourth of July outing, has retained nationally recognized civil rights attorney Ben Crump as they seek answers surrounding the circumstances of his death.
Crump announced Tuesday that he will represent Wells’ family, saying they are demanding a thorough and transparent investigation into what happened to the Ocean Springs teenager after he vanished during a holiday trip with friends.
“Nolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate and friend who went out to celebrate the Fourth of July and never came home,” Crump said in a statement. “His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth. 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.”
Wells disappeared on July 4 after traveling by boat with a group of friends to Horn Island, a barrier island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, he was last seen around 3 p.m. before the group returned to the mainland without him. His mother reported him missing later that night, prompting a multi-agency search involving local, state, and federal authorities.
On July 6, a park ranger discovered Wells’ body near the island’s northwestern shoreline. Authorities have confirmed that an autopsy has been completed, but the official cause and manner of death have not yet been released. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said the investigation remains active and that investigators are continuing to gather evidence and interview witnesses.
Crump’s legal team said it plans to conduct an independent review of the case while seeking the timely release of investigative records, witness statements, and autopsy findings. The attorney’s involvement comes as public interest in the case continues to grow, with Wells’ family and supporters urging anyone who was on Horn Island that day to come forward with photos, videos, or information that could help explain his final hours.
Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, was a former standout football player at Ocean Springs High School and was preparing to return this fall as a wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College. Friends, teammates, and community members have continued to honor his memory while awaiting answers in the ongoing investigation.
