Cause of Nolan Wells' death still unknown, initial results of independent autopsy show

Cause of Nolan Wells' death still unknown, initial results of independent autopsy showTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFigure caption, Nolan Wells' mother on why the family is seeking outside helpByAna FaguyPublished22 July 2026, 17:25 BSTUpdated 3 minutes agoThis article contains details about an autopsy result that may be distressingThe cause and way in which Mississippi teenager Nolan Wells died after going missing earlier this month are still unknown following a preliminary independent autopsy.The body of Wells, 18, was found in the water near Horn Island two days after he did not return with friends from a boating trip there on 4 July. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office said they did not suspect foul play, but Wells' family requested an independent autopsy to address what they say are "serious, unanswered questions about the circumstances that left Nolan alone on the island and about how he died".Initial findings from the autopsy show foul play cannot not be ruled out, the family's lawyer said on Wednesday.Ben Crump told a press conference that the exam had found some red discoloration on the back of the teenager's head, the cause of which has not been determined. The examiner, forensic pathologist Dr Roger Mitchell, did note there were no wounds on the skin or fractures of the skull in the area.Mitchell, according to Crump, could not determine if there was any bruising on Wells' body because it had been too decomposed, nor could he tell if Wells was conscious or unconscious when he went into the water. If Wells did drown, determining how he got into the water and whether or not he was conscious or unconscious when he did so is the "crux of the matter," Crump said.Mitchell's autopsy report also stated that parts of Wells' throat had been held back following the initial autopsy, which is standard practice if there are any concerns. "...