Attorneys representing Nolan Wells’ family are pushing back on claims that they are deliberately keeping his phone from local authorities.
The 18-year-old was found dead on the northwestern tip of Horn Island in Mississippi two days after celebrating the Fourth of July with friends.
Those friends claimed Wells refused to get on the boat with them when it was time to leave. However, his phone made it to shore.
Wells’ family tracked the phone’s location to one of his friends’ houses. After retrieving the phone, Wells’ mother searched through it and claimed she found evidence that someone had tampered with his Snapchat and deleted messages.
‘Ready and Willing’
During a meeting with Jackson Attorney Angel McIlrath in July, Attorney Ben Crump announced that his office and local authorities would jointly investigate Wells’ phone.
Ahamad R. Smith, local counsel for Nolan Wells’ estate and family, reaffirmed Tuesday the family’s commitment to jointly investigate Wells’ phone in a letter to McIllrath obtained by Atlanta Black Star.
“We have been– and remain– ready and willing to cooperate in arranging a joint forensic inspection of Nolan Wells’ personal cell phone,” Smith wrote.
The letter goes on to say that it was discussed that the examination would be conducted through the Digital Forensics Lab at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, as well as the possibility of FBI involvement.
“Our position has not changed. We are prepared to coordinate a mutually agreeable date and procedure for the examination of the phone.”
‘Willing to Bet My Reputation’
The letter comes after Tyler Cox, an attorney representing Wells’ friends, says he’s ‘willing to bet his reputation’ that the family has not turned over the phone.
“I have reason to believe, and I do believe, that [Wells’ family] have not cooperated with law enforcement. I do not think that they have turned in Nolan’s phone, and I’m willing to bet my reputation on that, Cox told Mediate.
Smith fought back on those claims in the letter, stressing that Wells’ legal team is not holding the phone on purpose.
“Accordingly, to the extent there has been any suggestion that we have been unwilling or have failed to cooperate with the investigation, we want to make clear that this is not the case,” Smith wrote.
Call to Action
The letter also asks McIllrath to provide time for forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell to review the materials he needs to complete his autopsy review.
“You also previously indicated that Dr. Mitchell would be provided an opportunity to review the materials necessary for him to complete his autopsy review. We remain prepared to facilitate that process.”
Dr. Mitchell concluded that both the cause and manner of Wells’ death remain undetermined pending further investigation.
In his report, Dr. Mitchell said he faced limitations in his investigation due to the absence of critical neck structures.
The state has completed its own autopsy, but those findings remain confidential.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the case, after which its findings will be turned over to the district attorney’s office.
In the meantime, the Congressional Black Caucus is now urging Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel to launch a federal review into Wells’ death.
“The Wells family deserves to understand what happened to their son. They deserve answers. They deserve transparency. And they deserve confidence that every available resource has been brought to bear in determining the truth.”
