Friends of 18-year-old Nolan Wells say his July 4 disappearance and subsequent death on Horn Island deepened their Christian faith and brought them back to church. A Jackson County grand jury later declined to indict anyone, finding the death consistent with drowning. Wells' family and attorney Ben Crump dispute that finding, citing bruising and blunt-force injuries and calling for further federal review. The friends say they have faced intense online scrutiny while trying to grieve.
Nolan Wells' Friends Say Tragedy Deepened Their Christian Faith As Grand Jury Declines Charges
Morgan Seymour, Warren Hudson and Jax Pitalo
The death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells has left his closest friends grieving — and, they say, drawing them closer to their Christian faith. In an exclusive interview with Fox News correspondent Kayleigh McEnany, three friends described how the loss reshaped their priorities and brought them back to church.
"I learned to lean on the Lord," Warren Hudson said. "I know my friends did as well. And I know that's what Nolan would want me to do."
Wells disappeared on July 4 after a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, a barrier island off Mississippi's Gulf Coast. Search teams combed the area for two days before a National Park Service ranger discovered his body at the island's northwestern tip on July 6.
Months later, a Jackson County grand jury returned a "no true bill," declining to indict anyone after finding insufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing and concluding the death was consistent with drowning. Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said the grand jury found "absolutely no evidence" that the death was racially motivated and reiterated that the friends loved Wells.
Morgan Seymour, left, Warren Hudson, center, and Jax Pitalo, right, all friends of Nolan Wells, join Kayleigh McEnany (unpictured) for an interview on "Saturday in America."
Wells' friends say the ordeal has been painful and public. "We started going to church more," Morgan Seymour said. Jax Pitalo called the event a turning point: "Right after the first three days or so, I was like, if this did anything, it got us all closer to God." The young men also told McEnany they have faced intense online scrutiny and accusations while trying to grieve.
Still, the case remains contested. Wells' family and civil rights attorney Ben Crump have challenged the grand jury decision, pointing to bruising and blunt-force injuries noted by the family's independent pathologist and urging further investigation, including an independent federal review by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The friends say that, amid the legal disputes and public debate, their focus has been on faith, remembrance and supporting each other in mourning a friend they loved.
Reporting contributions: Fox News' Adam Sabes.
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