More than a week after their son was found dead in Mississippi, Nolan Wells’ parents finally have a meeting with an official about his death.
Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath met with Christine and Elmore Wonsley on Wednesday.
It’s the first meeting since Wells was found dead at Horn Island on July 6. The 18-year-old went to the island with friends to celebrate the Fourth of July.
The Meeting
Attorney Ben Crump, along with Nolan’s parents, held a press conference after the meeting, which they shared was very respectful.
“I stressed to her very strenuously to say, ‘We want you, you and the Sheriff’s Department, to zealously investigate this matter,” said Crump.
Mcllrath told the family she will turn the case over to a grand jury after the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office finishes its investigation. That is standard procedure for most unnatural or suspicious deaths in the county.
A grand jury is a panel of citizens that reviews evidence from prosecutors and decides whether there is enough probable cause to move forward with criminal charges.
Crump also announced that his office and local authorities will jointly investigate Nolan’s phone. The family is asking that the phones of the friends who were with him on the island also be examined.
“Wouldn’t you want desperately to get to the truth? Wouldn’t you want people who were closest in proximity to what happened to be investigated?” Crump said.
Racial Divisions
Wells’ parents’ meeting with the district attorney comes as debate over whether race played a role in his death continues to intensify.
Nolan’s grandfather, Christopher Wells Sr., says he does not want people using his grandson’s death to promote racial division. At the same time, he acknowledges that racism remains a reality.
“I saw and dealt with racism going through school, while I was in the military and working for a government contractor after I separated from the military,” Wells wrote on Facebook. “I reside in Mississippi now; it’s home, but there are counties in this state I wouldn’t be caught in after dark.”
He also argued that white people can move through society more freely than Black people. Wells concluded his post by praying that God would “punish [the] wicked” and wishing blessings on “everyone that’s color blind.”
A Racial Thing?
Nolan’s high school football coach says he doubts race played a role in the teen’s death.
Tracy Lampley told TMZ there was no racial tension between Nolan and his friends that he knew of. He said the teens “grew up together” and “played together”.
Representative Jasmine Crockett pushes back on Lampley’s claim. She also spoke with TMZ, telling them she believes race did play a factor.
“I think that specifically as Black Americans in the United States right now, we are always going to question whether there is a racial motivation,” said Crockett.
The congresswoman says she was on high alert after learning Nolan disappeared after hanging out with his 3 white friends, who deleted their social media accounts.
“A blind man could see there is something to investigate,” she told the outlet.
Crockett contended that if the victim had been white and the friends had been Black, they would already be behind bars.
“If Nolan was white, they would be in jail. They would ask questions later,” she argued.
Jasmine Crockett is sharing her thoughts with @jacob_wass on Nolan Wells' case, saying "if you think race is not something to look at, you're not really trying to investigate." pic.twitter.com/NaQOBj0VG4
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 14, 2026
Where Do We Go from Here?
There are still more questions than answers when it comes to Nolan Wells. The cause and manner of his death have not been released
While waiting for autopsy results, Wells’ parents and authorities are asking anyone who has videos or photos of the teen from July 4th to come forward.
In the meantime, the family is preparing to lay Nolan to rest. His funeral will be July 20. However, the venue has changed.
Instead of being at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, it will now be at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs. Visitation will start at 9 a.m., and the funeral will begin at 11 a.m.
Nolan’s repass will be at the Jackson County Fairgrounds. His mother, Christine Wonsley, says she wants to celebrate her son in the right way.
“He would not want us to be sitting around crying and eating. So, what we’re going to do is kind of have a party,” said Wonsley.
Family, friends, and Nolan’s teammates are invited.
Tyler Perry is paying for Wells’ funeral. Rev. Al Sharpton will be officiating.
