Trump Weighs FBI Probe Into Death of 18-Year-Old Nolan Wells

President Trump said Wednesday he is considering asking the FBI to investigate the death of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old college freshman found dead on a Mississippi barrier island after a Jackson County grand jury declined to indict anyone in the case, according to The Guardian.

What did Trump say about investigating Nolan Wells's death?

Trump's remarks came after lawyers for Wells's family, including civil rights attorney Ben Crump, called for a federal investigation following the grand jury's decision not to indict anyone connected to Wells's disappearance and death, the Guardian reported. The outlet did not report further detail on Trump's exact wording or timeline for a decision.

Who was Nolan Wells and how did he die?

Wells, who is Black, was last seen alive on July 4 during a boating trip with friends near Horn Island, a barrier island off the Mississippi coast, according to the Guardian. He went missing on the island, and his body was found there two days later. His cause and manner of death remain undetermined, the outlet reported.

His mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, searched for him after he went missing. During that search, a photo of Wells with three white friends on the boat spread widely across social media platforms, drawing national attention to the case, per the Guardian's reporting.

What does the independent autopsy show?

The Jackson County grand jury determined that Wells drowned, the Guardian reported. But an independent autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Roger A. Mitchell Jr., president of Howard University Hospital, found no evidence of drowning, citing the absence of water in Wells's stomach, lungs and throat, according to the outlet. That autopsy also noted bruising, the Guardian reported, though further findings from the independent exam were not detailed in available reporting.

The two assessments — a county-led finding of drowning and an independent pathologist's finding of no drowning evidence — conflict, and both are cited in the Guardian's account of the case.

What happened with the Jackson County grand jury?

A Jackson County grand jury declined to indict anyone in connection with Wells's disappearance and death, the Guardian reported. In the months between the discovery of his body and the grand jury's decision, social media activity around the case included misinformation about Wells, his family and his friends, according to the outlet. Many observers have suggested, per the Guardian, that the handling of the case by local officials would have differed had Wells and his family been white — a claim that remains part of the broader public debate over the investigation rather than a settled finding.

What is the timeline of events?

• July 4, 2026: Wells, 18, is last seen alive during a boating trip near Horn Island, Mississippi.
• Two days later: His body is found on Horn Island.
• July 22, 2026: Ben Crump announces results of an independent autopsy at a press conference in Chicago.
• Prior to October 8: A Jackson County grand jury declines to indict anyone in the case, determining Wells drowned.
• October 8, 2026: Trump says he is considering asking the FBI to investigate.

Wells's family and Crump have continued to press for a federal review, the Guardian reported, while the county's own finding and the independent pathologist's conclusion remain unresolved publicly.

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