Missing Mississippi teen Nolan Wells' family shares heartbreaking news

Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old Mississippi teen, who disappeared on Horn Island, now his family is sharing a heartbreaking update.

Wells, vanished on Horn Island on the night of Fourth of July, 2026.

The incident led the local and federal coastal agencies, which included Marine Resources, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the United States Coast Guard, to intensify the search operations.

Nolan Wells’ family shared on social media that their son’s body has been found near Horn Island on Monday morning, July 6, 2026.

The Jackson County Sheriff Department also confirmed the news that the body was discovered near the same spot where 18-year-old Nolan Wells vanished on Saturday, July 4.

The Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter, said, the body, which is believed to be that of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells, was discovered around 8:45 a.m. by a park ranger.

Wells’ mother reported him missing late Saturday night on the Fourth of July after he visited the island with his friends in a small boat for Independence Day celebrations.

For the unversed, Horn Island is a barrier island off the Gulf Coast.

The 18-year-old Nolan Wells, known to his family and friends as 'Nano,' was last spotted on Saturday, July 4, around 3 p.m. on Horn Island.

So far, the preliminary investigation and toxicology report mentioned no indication of drug or alcohol use.

However, the cause of his death will be determined by the Jackson County Coroner office after autopsy.