The official autopsy from the State Medical Examiner's office is not completed.
ByEmily Shapiro Wednesday, July 22, 2026 11:17AMThe preliminary findings from Mississippi teenager Nolan Wells' independent autopsy will be announced on Wednesday as the investigation into the 18-year-old's death continues, family attorney Ben Crump said.
Wells' parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, were desperate for answers and sent the teen's body to Washington, D.C., for an independent autopsy. The Wonsleys will join Crump to announce those findings at 9 a.m. ET.
The official autopsy report from the State Medical Examiner's office in Mississippi is still pending, according to Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd Jr. Once that report is complete, it will be provided to the local coroner.
Wells went missing on the 4th of July after going on a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, according to authorities. It appears Wells stayed behind on the island after his friends left, officials said.
The college football player's body was recovered on July 6, and authorities said they suspect Wells drowned. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said there was no initial indication of a crime, but he stressed that investigators are "working diligently to determine exactly what occurred."
"Nolan Wells' family deserves a thorough and factual investigation, and that's exactly what they're going to get," he told ABC News last week.
Ledbetter also said the sheriff's office welcomes the family's independent investigation.
At Wells' funeral in his hometown of Ocean Springs on Monday, his mother said his family and friends "will miss everything about him."
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ABC News' Sabina Ghebremedhin contributed to this report.
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