Nolan Wells independent autopsy yields 'undetermined' cause of death: details inside

Nolan Wells's family has shared the details of an independent autopsy after three weeks into his death at Horn Island.

Nolan Xavier Wells, who vanished on Fourth of July while on a boat trip to Horn Island.

Wells’ death remains a mystery, as an independent autopsy commissioned by his family didn’t reach any conclusion.

There were two parallel probes undergoing one at the state level and one sought by Wells’ family out of state, Washington, D.C.

The attorney for the Wells' family, Ben Crump, detailed the preliminary autopsy findings on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

According to Crump, the autopsy report showed no signs of fractures or deep tissue injuries, describing a “red discoloration” in the back of Wells’ skull as “inconclusive” and pending further investigation.

The autopsy report, performed by Dr. Roger Mitchell, penned that he could not rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death.”

Dr. Mitchell mentioned the challenges that came along with performing an independent autopsy, including decomposition of the body and unanswered questions about whether Wells was conscious when he went into the water.

On the other hand, the Mississippi medical examiner has not yet made public the findings of the state autopsy.

The state medical examiners' office conducted an autopsy on July 7, a day after Wells' body was found near Horn Island, with toxicology tests pending.