The parents of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old who died after a Fourth of July outing on Mississippi barrier islands, have voiced their determination to find justice after a grand jury concluded no criminal charges were warranted in his death.

Wells vanished on July 4th while celebrating with friends on boats off the Gulf Coast. His body was recovered two days later in the waters near Horn Island. The case has been under intense scrutiny, with the family commissioning a private autopsy that contradicted the initial findings.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, questioned the grand jury's conclusion of drowning, citing that both medical examiners and his death certificate listed the cause and manner of death as undetermined. She highlighted that a private autopsy commissioned by the family revealed recent, unexplained blunt force injuries to the back of Nolan's head and other areas of his body.

The Jackson County Grand Jury Report stated that the evidence was insufficient to bring criminal charges, unanimously finding that the location, condition, and time of discovery of Wells' body were consistent with drowning. The report also indicated no credible evidence of criminal conduct by the friends who were with him.

Attorneys for the Wells family stated that they would not give up their pursuit of justice. The grand jury reviewed extensive evidence, including testimony from 43 witnesses, the state medical examiner's autopsy, physical evidence, digital records, and interviews. However, the family's private autopsy, conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., identified the blunt force trauma, which the grand jury report acknowledged but deemed not fatal and attributed its origin to an unclear cause.

The grand jury report noted that one witness testified seeing Wells slip off a boat and continue socializing afterward, without appearing injured. The report also stated that the bruising on the back of Wells' head was not a fatal injury and its origin was unclear.

The state medical examiner's official autopsy results have not yet been publicly released. The family and their legal team expressed deep dissatisfaction with the grand jury's findings, particularly given the conflicting medical evidence regarding the cause of death.

This decision by the grand jury means that, based on the evidence presented, no individuals will face criminal prosecution in connection with Nolan Wells' death. The family, however, remains committed to seeking accountability and understanding the full circumstances surrounding their son's demise.