Ben Crump Vows to Keep Fighting for Answers in the Death of Nolan Wells

For civil rights attorney Ben Crump, the fight for justice has never been defined simply by whether a courtroom door opens or closes. It is often about the questions that remain after everyone else is prepared to move on.

During my recent interview with Crump, his message concerning the death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells was unwavering: they will continue seeking justice for Nolan.

That promise carries even greater significance following the latest development in a case that has attracted national attention.

On September 21, a Jackson County, Mississippi, grand jury declined to indict anyone in connection with Wells’ death. The grand jury reported finding no credible evidence that people who traveled to or from Horn Island with Wells on July 4 engaged in criminal conduct related to his death. Authorities have also said they found no evidence that his death was racially motivated. (Reuters)

For Nolan’s family and their attorneys, however, the absence of criminal charges has not answered their most fundamental question:

What happened to Nolan Wells?

Wells, a student-athlete from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, traveled by boat with friends to Horn Island on July 4, 2026, for a holiday outing. According to authorities, he was last seen on the island that afternoon and did not return with the group. His mother reported him missing that night.

A multi-agency search followed. On July 6, a National Park Service ranger found Wells’ body near the northwestern end of Horn Island. His family subsequently retained Crump and called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. (Ben Crump)

Months later, there remains an important distinction in the official findings: while the grand jury said the circumstances surrounding the location and condition of Wells’ body were consistent with drowning, both the state medical examiner and an independent forensic pathologist retained by the family classified his cause and manner of death as undetermined. (AP News)

That distinction is now at the center of the family’s continuing demand for answers.

The family’s independent autopsy, conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., documented recent unexplained blunt-force injuries to the back of Wells’ head and other areas of his back, according to the family’s legal team.

The grand jury report addressed bruising on Wells’ head and concluded that it was not a fatal injury, while saying the evidence did not establish how it occurred. (ABC News)

Crump argues that this is precisely why the family believes the investigation should continue.

“What really happened to Nolan Wells? What caused the blunt force trauma to his head?” Crump asked publicly following the grand jury decision. “That is the crux of the matter.” (KOSU)

The independent autopsy also said the available record does not establish whether Wells entered the water voluntarily or was forced, whether he was conscious or impaired when he entered, or why he would have been unable to get himself out despite reportedly being able to swim. (Ben Crump)

Those unanswered questions are why Crump and the Wells family reject the idea that the grand jury's decision should mark the end of the search for information about Nolan's final hours.

The grand jury's conclusion followed an extensive review. According to reporting on its findings, 23 jurors heard testimony from more than 40 witnesses and considered evidence that included autopsy findings, law-enforcement interviews, digital and physical evidence, GPS information, photographs and videos. The grand jury ultimately concluded there was no credible evidence supporting criminal allegations against those who traveled to and from Horn Island that day. (ABC News)

That conclusion deserves to be stated clearly.

So does the family's response.

Crump maintains that a decision not to indict anyone does not establish exactly how Wells died. His legal team is calling on Mississippi authorities to continue investigating and says that if the state will not pursue the unanswered questions, the U.S. Department of Justice should become involved. (Ben Crump)

Calls for federal scrutiny did not begin with this week's grand jury decision. In August, members of the Congressional Black Caucus called on federal authorities to consider an independent review, including whether a civil-rights investigation was warranted. (Ben Crump)

The NAACP has also advocated for a thorough and transparent investigation into Wells' death. (Ben Crump)

Crump has become one of America's most recognizable civil rights attorneys, representing families in cases involving Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, among others. He is the founder of Ben Crump Law and has built much of his career around representing families seeking answers and accountability following high-profile deaths and alleged civil-rights violations. (Ben Crump)

Now, Nolan Wells' name has become part of that continuing work.

During my conversation with Crump, what stood out was not simply his discussion of the legal process. It was his insistence that the family's pursuit does not end because a grand jury declined to return an indictment.

The Wells family is still grieving an 18-year-old son whose cause and manner of death remain officially undetermined.

They still want to know what happened before he entered the water.

They still want answers about the injuries documented on his body.

And they still want a complete accounting of the final hours of his life.

Crump put the family's position plainly after the grand jury's decision: “Nolan’s family will not rest until we know what happened to him, and neither will we.” (Ben Crump)

For Nolan's parents, this is more than a case file or a headline. It is about their son.

And for Ben Crump, as he made clear during our interview, the pursuit of answers—and what the family considers justice for Nolan Wells—will continue.