JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX/Gray News) — A Mississippi grand jury unanimously returned a no true bill in the death investigation of Nolan Wells, meaning no criminal charges or indictments will be issued, the office of Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath announced Monday night.

The jury, made up of 23 members, reviewed phone forensic reports, GPS logs, security camera footage, 132 subpoenas and testimony from 43 witnesses.

The Wells family’s legal team also reported finding no evidence of criminal activity to refer to prosecutors.

July 4, 2026

Wells was found dead in the water off Horn Island on the morning of July 6. That was two days after he first set out to the island with a group of friends to celebrate July 4.

The grand jury found that Wells rode on The Triton, which was one of three boats used by the group.

The Triton later took on water due to a bilge pump and motor failure while making the trip back and had to be towed by one of the other vessels. The grand jury believes that Wells, however, had chosen to stay behind on the island to continue socializing after the boats left for the mainland.

The grand jury stated Wells’ phone ended up returning to the mainland without him, adding that other passengers also had phones return on different boats.

Cause of death and autopsy findings

Attorney Ben Crump previously said Wells’ cause and manner of death were undetermined, according to a preliminary independent autopsy report.

Both the Mississippi state chief medical examiner and an independent forensic pathologist hired by the Wells family agreed that the cause and manner of his death were undetermined. Court documents noted that accidental drowning remains consistent with the evidence provided and was not ruled out.

One injury found by both officials was nonfatal bruising on the back of Wells’ head. A witness who testified under oath said Wells slipped awkwardly off the side of a boat, but continued socializing and didn’t appear to be hurt. No signs of fatal physical trauma were found.

According to the toxicology report, no evidence of cocaine use was found. Wells bought his own alcohol using a fake ID, and no adults over 21 provided any to him or his friends.

Internet rumors and allegations

In the court documents, the grand jury noted online speculation that there had been a fight involving Wells and that allegations had been made against his friends and family. However, the grand jury stated the allegations were all false, finding there had been no criminal conduct by anyone associated with Wells.

The grand jury added that photos of Wells at a pool party were confirmed to be from dates earlier than July 4. Another social media post sharing audio of the call made by someone aboard The Triton to SeaTow after the boat began taking on water was inaccurate compared to the original recording.

An additional rumor stated that the state medical examiner’s office withheld major organs before Wells’ body was inspected by the independent pathologist hired by his family. However, the pathologist confirmed standard procedure was followed.

What’s next?

The court documents close by reminding the public that Mississippi has no statute of limitations on homicide. If credible new evidence is found signaling foul play, the case can be reopened and presented to another grand jury.

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