An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of 18-year-old college football player Nolan Wells found no fractures or deep-tissue injuries in the areas examined, but it did not determine what caused his death.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr. classified both the cause and manner of death as "undetermined pending investigation." In his preliminary report, Mitchell said the evidence available to him was insufficient to exclude the possibility that non-accidental factors contributed to Wells' death.
Mitchell performed the second autopsy on July 10, after Mississippi authorities completed their own examination. Family attorney Ben Crump publicly released the preliminary findings at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago on July 22.
Wells disappeared during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island, off the Mississippi coast, and his body was recovered in the water near the island's northwestern tip two days later. The state medical examiner's autopsy and toxicology results have not been released publicly.
Findings, Limitations and Unresolved Issues
Mitchell conducted additional dissections of Wells' face, scalp, neck, ribs, pelvis, back and limbs. He reported no fractures or clear signs of deep-tissue injury in the areas he examined. However, the pathologist documented a roughly 12-by-8-inch area of red discoloration in the soft tissue at the back of Wells' head. There was no cut in the overlying skin and no fracture of the skull beneath that patch.
Mitchell did not classify that discoloration as a confirmed injury. He said decomposition and the absence of related findings prevented him from determining whether it occurred before death or resulted from events after Wells entered the water.
Several key limitations hampered Mitchell's ability to reach a definitive opinion:
- Internal structures from the front of the neck — including parts of the trachea, laryngeal cartilage, thyroid horn and hyoid bone — were not returned with the body. The report notes the Mississippi pathologist likely retained those structures for further study, which is standard practice.
- Organs had been removed and dissected during the first autopsy, preventing Mitchell from directly examining Wells' lungs and airways for water or reviewing stomach contents.
- Decomposition can obscure bruising, abrasions and other tissue changes that might indicate trauma.
- Mitchell had not received the state's toxicology results and did not conduct independent toxicology testing before issuing his preliminary opinion.
Seven Questions Mitchell Says Must Be Answered
- How did Wells enter the water?
- What was Wells' condition before entering the water (conscious, impaired, or otherwise)?
- Did Wells enter the water voluntarily or was he forced?
- What was the position of his body when it was recovered?
- Was there water in his airways and lungs?
- Is there evidence of neck trauma (including examination of retained neck structures)?
- Was there bleeding inside the skull and what do stomach contents and toxicology results indicate?
Mitchell emphasized his report is preliminary and that he reserves the right to revise his opinion after reviewing the first autopsy reports, recovery records, official toxicology results and other investigative material.
Investigation and Public Response
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation, with the FBI providing assistance when federal resources are requested. The district attorney stated the completed investigation will be presented to a grand jury, a routine step in the county for non-natural or suspicious deaths.
Colin Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp helped fund the independent autopsy. A $125,000 reward funded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Tyler Perry and former NFL player Terrell Owens is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. At the Chicago news conference, Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, asked: "What happened to our son?"
Note: This report summarizes preliminary independent findings. Final conclusions may change after authorities release their autopsy, toxicology results and other investigative records.
