Attorney Ben Crump Reveals Nolan Wells Independent Autopsy Results — Cause of Death Remains Undetermined

The topic of Attorney Ben Crump Reveals raises many questions. What should have been a routine search for medical clarity has instead exposed critical gaps in the evidence surrounding the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells. The independent examination was meant to bring Nolan’s grieving family closer to the truth, but its findings have raised more questions than answers.

Attorney Ben Crump recently revealed the preliminary results of Nolan’s independent autopsy before a standing-room-only audience at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago. The second examination classified the teenager’s cause and manner of death as “undetermined” pending further investigation.

Key Findings Raise Troubling Questions

The independent autopsy did not identify fractures or deep tissue injuries, but the report described a “red discoloration” in the back of Nolan’s skull. The finding was deemed inconclusive, yet the pathologist believes it deserves additional investigation. Without more evidence, the forensic pathologist wrote that he could not exclude the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death.”

The independent examination faced serious limitations before it even began. When Nolan’s body was examined by the family’s pathologist, it arrived without its organs and neck structures. The missing material prevented the independent pathologist from answering several central questions about the cause of death.

The absence of Nolan’s throat and other neck components meant the pathologist could not determine whether he had suffered an injury to the neck. Because his lungs were also unavailable, the independent examiner could not establish whether water had entered them and whether Nolan was alive or conscious when he entered the water.

The Pathologist’s Credentials

The second examination was conducted by Dr. Roger Mitchell, a board-certified forensic pathologist who serves as president of the National Medical Association and Howard University Hospital. His report acknowledged that decomposition and the absence of material removed during the first autopsy significantly restricted the conclusions he could reach.

The independent examination was funded by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. His organization, Know Your Rights Camp, has previously financed independent autopsies in other high-profile cases where families sought answers beyond the official investigation.

Nolan’s Mother Speaks From the Heart

Nolan’s mother, Christine Wonsley, also addressed the Chicago audience. She described the pain of losing a child as immeasurable and said her family’s focus remains singular: discovering what really happened to Nolan.

According to the official timeline, Nolan spent the evening of July 3 at home, where he prepared salmon for his family. His mother remembered their final goodbye simply: “It was hug, kiss, and he left.” Nolan then spent the night with friends ahead of their Fourth of July trip to Horn Island, Mississippi.

Nolan had graduated from Ocean Springs High School and enrolled at Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he played wide receiver. He was expected to return to school following the holiday weekend, but he never made it back.

The Events of July 4

At some point during the afternoon of July 4, the group began returning to the mainland — without Nolan. His family received a phone call from one of his friends at around 11 p.m. and subsequently reported him missing. A multi-agency search was launched immediately.

By July 6, a body matching Nolan’s description was recovered from the water near the shoreline. Dental records later confirmed his identity, officially confirming the family’s worst fears.

A viral video filmed from a boat near the shoreline showed several young people gathered on the beach. A person could be heard yelling while group members appeared to be involved in an intense discussion. Many believed it captured a confrontation involving Nolan in the moments before his death.

A Friend’s Account Contradicts the Narrative

However, in his first media interview, Nolan’s friend Tracestin Shepherd gave his own account of what really happened. Tracestin said he was having a disagreement with his girlfriend when an acquaintance walked past and criticized their conversation. The exchange became heated and eventually escalated into a physical altercation.

Tracestin insists that the clearest voice heard in the viral footage did not belong to Nolan but to him. “It’s me yelling — my exact wording is, ‘Get me off this boat.’ I wanted to fight, and I’d felt like I hadn’t had my fair share,” he revealed, adding another layer of confusion to the already complex case.

Nolan Laid to Rest

Nolan was laid to rest in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, two days before the independent autopsy findings were announced. During the funeral, the Rev. Al Sharpton spoke about the “inconsistencies and unanswered questions” that had placed a dark cloud over the family’s grief.

A combined $125,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction connected to Nolan’s death. The reward is funded by Al Sharpton, Tyler Perry, and Terrell Owens, reflecting the national attention the case has attracted.

Attorney Ben Crump Reveals: Seven Unanswered Questions

The most striking part of the independent autopsy may not be one isolated finding. At the end of the report, the pathologist listed seven questions that remain outstanding. The pathologist concluded that the best classification for Nolan’s cause and manner of death is “Undetermined — Pending Investigation.”

For Nolan’s family, that final page offered neither the confirmation they feared nor the clarity they desperately wanted. The examination left them with a possible injury at the back of their son’s head, critical evidence they have not yet been able to review, and seven unanswered questions at the center of the investigation.

The Wells family has vowed to continue fighting for answers. Attorney Ben Crump has called for federal authorities to take over the case, citing the gaps in the official investigation. As the family awaits the outcome of further inquiries, they hold on to one hope — that the truth about what happened to Nolan Wells will eventually come to light.

Nolan’s case has galvanized national attention and drawn scrutiny to the way missing persons cases involving young Black men are handled by local authorities. Community leaders have called for greater transparency in death investigations and for clearer protocols when evidence is removed before an independent examination can take place.

For Christine Wonsley, every unanswered question represents a night without sleep and a future built on uncertainty. She has vowed to keep pushing until the final pages of her son’s story are written. “We will not stop until we know what happened to Nolan,” she said. “He was my son, and he deserves the truth.”

The case continues to develop as more people come forward with information about the events surrounding Nolan’s final hours. The FBI has been monitoring the investigation, and federal officials have not ruled out opening their own inquiry if new evidence emerges. For a family caught between grief and unanswered questions, every lead offers a flicker of hope that justice remains within reach.