JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) – On Monday night, Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath’s office announced that a grand jury unanimously returned a bogus bill in the investigation into the death of Nolan Wells, meaning no criminal charges or indictments will be issued. The 23-member jury reviewed forensic phone reports, GPS records, 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 forward to prosecutors. PREVIOUS: Here’s what we know about the disappearance and death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, July 4, 2026 A photo of Nolan Wells on Horn Island on July 4, 2026. (wlox) Wells was found dead in the water off Horn Island on the morning of July 6, two days after he first left for the island with a group of friends to celebrate the Fourth of July. The grand jury determined that Wells traveled on The Triton, which was one of three boats used by the group. The Triton subsequently took on water due to a bilge pump and engine failure while making the return voyage and had to be towed by one of the other boats. The jury believes that Wells, however, had chosen to stay on the island to continue socializing after the ships left for the mainland. The jury stated that Wells’ phone ended up returning to the mainland without him, adding that other passengers also had phones returned to them on different ships. Cause of death and autopsy results Attorney Ben Crump previously said the cause and manner of Nolan Wells’ death are undetermined, according to the independent preliminary autopsy report. Both the chief medical examiner for the state of Mississippi and an independent forensic pathologist hired by the Wells family agreed that the cause and manner of Wells’ 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 a non-fatal bruise on the back of Wells’ head. A witness who testified under oath said Wells clumsily slipped off the side of a boat, but continued to socialize and did not appear to be injured. No signs of fatal physical trauma were found. According to the toxicology report, no evidence of cocaine use was found. Wells purchased his own alcohol with a fake ID and no adults over the age of 21 provided alcohol to him or his friends. Internet Rumors and Accusations A small group gathered outside the Jackson County Courthouse on July 27, 2026. (WLOX) In court documents, the grand jury noted online speculation that there had been a fight involving Wells and that accusations had been made against Wells’ friends and their families. However, the jury declared all the allegations false and found that there had been no criminal conduct by anyone associated with Wells. The jury added that the viral photos of Wells at a pool party were confirmed to be from before the Fourth of July. Another viral post that shared audio of the call made by someone aboard the Triton to SeaTow after the ship began taking on water was inaccurate compared to the original recording. Another rumor said that the state medical examiner’s office withheld important organs before Wells’ body was inspected by the independent pathologist hired by the Wells family. However, the pathologist confirmed that standard procedure was followed. What’s next? The court documents close by reminding the public that Mississippi does not have a statute of limitations for homicide. If new credible evidence is found indicating foul play, the case can be reopened and presented to another grand jury. Angel Myers McIlrath’s office posted a redacted version of the grand jury’s findings on its Facebook. To view them, click here. Do you see a spelling or grammatical error in this story? Report it to our team HERE. Copyright 2026 WLOX. All rights reserved.
