The NAACP has joined the legal team representing the family of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old Mississippi college student whose death following a Fourth of July gathering on Horn Island remains under investigation.
The civil rights organization announced that its Office of General Counsel will work alongside the Wells family’s attorneys, including civil rights attorney Ben Crump, as they seek additional information about the circumstances surrounding Wells’ death.
“We’re taking up this fight to search for truth and to demand transparency concerning the tragic death of Nolan Wells,” said Kristen Clarke, general counsel of the NAACP.
Wells disappeared July 4 after attending an Independence Day gathering on Horn Island, a barrier island several miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His body was discovered along the island’s shoreline two days later.
Authorities initially said there were no apparent signs of foul play and identified drowning as a possible cause. However, questions surrounding Wells’ final hours and conflicting accounts of some events have led his family to seek an independent investigation.
An independent autopsy commissioned by the family was unable to determine the manner of Wells’ death. According to information released by the family’s legal team, the examination found no bone fractures or deep-tissue injuries but identified discoloration on the back of Wells’ head whose cause could not be determined. The pathologist also said non-accidental factors could not be ruled out without further investigation.
The NAACP said the undetermined finding strengthens the case for a comprehensive review.
“The world is watching, and Nolan Wells’ family deserves a thorough accounting of what happened,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said. “Too often, the deaths of young Black people are dismissed, downplayed, or inadequately investigated unless we demand answers.”
The organization said its attorneys will assist with fact-finding, seek greater transparency from authorities and support the family’s efforts to obtain information about Wells’ death.
The case has attracted national attention and also generated conflicting claims and misinformation on social media. Some of Wells’ friends who were present during the July 4 outing have disputed allegations surrounding the gathering and have said they want the investigation to establish what happened without prematurely assigning blame.
Mississippi officials have defended the investigation. The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office has said evidence from the case, including the official autopsy and completed investigative findings, will be presented to a grand jury. Officials have said withholding some information publicly is necessary to protect the integrity of that process.
Wells was a 2025 graduate of Ocean Springs High School and attended Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he played football as a wide receiver.
The Wells family has questioned whether racial bias affected the investigation. Wells was Black and disappeared during a gathering attended largely by White young people. Authorities and others involved in the case have disputed suggestions that race has influenced the investigation.
The NAACP said its involvement will focus on determining the facts rather than reaching conclusions before the investigation is complete.
“Our investigation will be victim-focused, community-based and sensitive to the ongoing pain felt by Nolan Wells’ family and his community,” Clarke said. “We will bring additional investigative and legal resources to bear and ensure that no stone is left unturned in the quest for truth and accountability for Nolan’s family.”
