A preliminary independent autopsy report commissioned by the legal team representing Nolan Wells’ family found the teenager’s cause and manner of death were “undetermined” pending investigation.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.But the doctor who performed the autopsy said in the report that he could not rule out foul play in Wells’ death, according to Wells’ family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, who revealed the findings at a Wednesday news conference at the 117th NAACP National Convention.Crump added that the report, which was prepared after two autopsies, also found red discoloration on the back of Wells’ head.But the report appeared to have gaps due to what Crump said were missing body parts and incomplete procedures.
The autopsy was performed by Dr.Roger Mitchell, a board-certified forensic pathologist and the president of the National Medical Association — the oldest and largest group of Black physicians in the U.S., Crump said.
It did not include a toxicology report, Crump said Wednesday.Crump said the autopsy was performed July 10 — six days after Wells disappeared and four days after his body was found on the northwestern shore of Horn Island.
The Jackson County coroner also performed an autopsy on the 18-year-old football player.Those results have not yet been released, as the coroner’s office is waiting on a toxicology report from the medical examiner’s office to be completed.
Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd told NBC News on Tuesday that the state’s autopsy report was still not finished.Wells was last seen July 4 sometime in the afternoon, though the exact time isn’t clear.
He had gone to the island, which is accessible only by boat, to celebrate the holiday with a group of high school friends.His friends have told police that when they had to leave early because their boat started taking on water, Wells told them he would stay and catch a ride back later with other...