Discretion advised: This story involves the death of a teenager.

A Jackson County, Mississippi grand jury unanimously returned a "no true bill" on Monday, September 21, in the death investigation of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old college football player found dead in the water off Horn Island following a Fourth of July outing with friends — meaning no criminal charges or indictments will be issued in the case.

What the Grand Jury Found

The grand jury's report, released by Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath, stated that the "position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location" of Wells' body was "consistent with drowning." The panel also found "no evidence of any fatal injury or organic disease" to Wells' body. Investigators did note nonfatal bruising on the back of his head, though the exact cause of that injury remained uncertain — court documents noted a witness testified under oath that Wells slipped awkwardly off the side of a boat but continued socializing and didn't appear hurt afterward.

The Timeline of Events

Wells was reported missing after setting out to Horn Island, a remote barrier island off Mississippi's Gulf Coast, on July 4 as part of a larger celebration involving roughly 30 people across multiple boats. His body was recovered in the waters off the island two days later, on July 6.

The Scope of the Investigation

The 23-member grand jury reviewed an extensive body of evidence, including phone forensic reports, GPS logs, security camera footage, 132 subpoenas, and testimony from 43 witnesses, alongside physical evidence collected at the scene and materials from the state medical examiner's autopsy. The panel was described in the report as a "cross section of citizens" from the area — 13 men and 10 women, including 12 White, five Black, one Asian, two Hispanic, two Native American members, and one individual who preferred "other," ranging in age from 27 to 68.

Rejecting Widely Circulated Speculation

Wells' death sparked significant online speculation after photos circulated widely showing the Black teenager surrounded by White friends during the trip. The grand jury directly addressed and rejected these allegations, finding "no credible evidence to support the public allegations" that anyone riding to or from the island with Wells that day "engaged in any criminal conduct related to" his death. District Attorney McIlrath addressed the racial narrative head-on: "The narrative that three white boys and a Black boy went to an island and only white friends returned spread like wildfire," she said. "This was false." She added: "Nolan's friends loved Nolan and Nolan loved them. Nolan chose to stay on the island that day and there is not a scintilla of evidence to contradict that."

What Wells's Friends Said Happened

According to a letter from their attorneys, three of Wells' friends — Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour — said they were part of a 30-person boating party on Horn Island and that Wells had chosen to stay behind when they returned to the mainland. The letter denied any involvement in Wells' disappearance or death. The grand jury noted that Wells' phone ended up returning to the mainland without him, adding that other passengers on the trip also had phones return on different boats — a detail investigators apparently found consistent with the friends' account rather than suspicious.

Undetermined Cause of Death — But Not a Crime

Notably, the report clarifies an important distinction: both the Mississippi State Chief Medical Examiner and an independent forensic pathologist hired by the Wells family agreed that the official cause and manner of death remained undetermined. However, court documents specified that accidental drowning remains consistent with the evidence provided and was not ruled out. Attorney Ben Crump, representing the Wells family, had previously said the preliminary independent autopsy similarly left cause and manner of death undetermined.

Additional Details From the Toxicology Report

The grand jury's report also addressed other points of public speculation: according to the toxicology report, no evidence of cocaine use was found. Wells had purchased his own alcohol using a fake ID, and the panel found no adults over 21 had provided alcohol to him or his friends during the trip.

The District Attorney's Broader Message

Announcing the findings, District Attorney McIlrath's office emphasized that the comprehensive investigation — spanning witness testimony, physical and digital evidence, and GPS and cellphone data — found no criminal or racially motivated wrongdoing connected to Wells' death, directly countering months of public speculation that had circulated widely on social media in the aftermath of his death.

What's Next

With the grand jury's no-true-bill finding now formally issued, the criminal investigation into Wells' death is effectively closed absent any new evidence emerging. Wells would have turned 19 the Wednesday following the grand jury's announcement. For continuing coverage, see the full CNN report.