Grand jury declines to indict anyone in death of Black teen in Mississippi - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

A grand jury in Jackson County, Mississippi, has declined to indict anyone in the death of Nolan Wells. (Reuters: David "Dee" Delgado)

A grand jury in Mississippi has unanimously declined to indict anyone in the death of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old Black man.

Mr Wells's body was found on an island after a trip with friends on the US Independence Day weekend.

Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells family, says Mr Wells's death still demands answers.

A grand jury in Mississippi has unanimously declined to indict anyone in the death of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old Black man whose body was found on an island after a trip with friends. 

Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath's office released the grand jury's report on Monday, local time.

"The grand jury finds no credible evidence to support the public allegations that any persons who rode to or from Horn Island on July 4, 2026 on the Triton, the Palm Beach, or the Tideline engaged in any criminal conduct related to the death of Mr Wells," the report said.

US civil rights advocates and prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump had sought a comprehensive ​investigation and transparency from authorities on Mr Wells's death. 

Mr Crump, who is representing the Wells family, said on X after the grand jury report was released that Mr Wells's death still demanded answers and that the grand jury's decision to not indict anyone does not resolve how he died.

Mr Wells's body was found on July 6 on the north-west end of ‌Horn Island, ⁠a barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, after he went missing during a Fourth of July weekend trip with friends from nearby Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Nolan Wells went missing on July 4, 2026, after going on a trip with friends off the coast of Mississippi. (Supplied: Christine Wonsley/Facebook)

His death evolved from a local investigation into a case drawing scrutiny from across the United States. 

Although authorities had not alleged foul play, questions were raised in the weeks after Mr Wells's death by family members, civil rights leaders and others about transparency, accountability and disparities in attention to cases involving Black victims.

The grand jury found that "the position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location of Mr Wells' body is consistent with drowning".

"Both the State of Mississippi Chief Medical Examiner and Dr [name redacted] opined that the cause and manner of Mr Wells' death is undetermined and that drowning is a diagnosis of exclusion," the report said.

The report said the grand jury understood that neither forensic expert had ruled out accidental drowning as a cause of death.

"Jackson County, after a thorough and exhaustive investigation, your grand jury met last week concerning the death investigation of Nolan Wells and unanimously returned a no true bill," Ms McIlrath said in a Facebook video.

Ms McIlrath said there was no evidence to support the allegations that Mr Wells's disappearance and death were racially motivated.