Nolan Wells' Phone Still Unexamined as Family and Prosecutor Dispute Joint Forensic Review

Nearly a month after Nolan Wells' family said they had reached an agreement with authorities to conduct a joint forensic review of the teen's cellphone, the device remains unanalyzed amid a dispute over logistics and control of the process.

In an Aug. 11 letter to District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath, family attorney Ahmad Smith wrote that the family "have been—and remain—ready and willing to cooperate in arranging a joint forensic inspection of Nolan Wells' personal cell phone." The letter noted the family's preference to use the Digital Forensics Lab at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and said the family had discussed possible FBI involvement.

Smith added that the family was prepared to coordinate a mutually agreeable date and procedure for the examination. He emphasized the family did not want to be seen as uncooperative and confirmed he had sent the letter to the district attorney's office. Smith declined further comment to PEOPLE.

On Aug. 13, family attorney Liza Park told reporters the district attorney's office informed them the phone would need to be turned over to law enforcement, a requirement Park said differed from the mid-July understanding that a joint review would occur. The family continues to press for a joint inspection that includes both official investigators and outside experts. McIlrath's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

What Happened

Wells, an 18-year-old college student and athlete, was last seen at a large Fourth of July gathering on Horn Island, off the coast of Mississippi. He was reported missing overnight on July 4 after a friend called his mother, Christine Wonsley. His body was found on the island in the early hours of July 6.

Nolan Wells

Authorities initially said there were no obvious signs of foul play and that drowning was suspected. The official cause of death has not been released pending the outcome of the investigation, which District Attorney McIlrath has said will be presented to a grand jury. Wells' family has questioned aspects of friends' accounts and challenged the suspected drowning determination.

Why the Phone Matters

The family believes the phone could hold crucial information about Wells' final hours. Friends have said Wells left the phone on a boat to keep it safe from water, but his parents and attorneys found it odd that he appeared to have little content from July 4 and that he reportedly did not keep the device on his person. The family later retrieved the phone from a friend on the mainland after Wells went missing.

Lead family attorney Ben Crump said he planned to hire an expert to attempt data recovery from the phone and to review Wells' social media accounts, several of which the family subpoenaed as part of a parallel investigation. Crump's team also arranged for an independent autopsy by pathologist Dr. Roger J. Mitchell.

Dr. Mitchell's outside autopsy did not identify severe injuries but concluded he could not determine a definitive cause of death without additional materials. The independent review was limited because certain throat structures were retained by authorities, a routine step in official investigations, restricting what the outside pathologist could examine. Smith's letter said the family had been told Dr. Mitchell would be provided the materials needed to complete his review and that the family stands ready to facilitate that process.

Current Status

As the official investigation continues and materials are prepared for presentation to a grand jury, the phone remains unanalyzed. The dispute centers on logistics and who will have oversight of the forensic examination, leaving a device the family believes could contain key evidence untouched nearly a month after the agreed joint review was announced.