Cajun Navy official says he will share Nolan Wells scene photos
Brian Trascher says aerial photos taken during the Horn Island search show Nolan Wells' body and can be given to the family if they request them.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
A United Cajun Navy official says he has aerial photos from the morning Nolan Wells was found dead on Horn Island and is prepared to hand them over to Wells' family if they ask.
Brian Trascher, vice president of the United Cajun Navy, told TMZ's Charlie Neff that he took the images while helping with the search effort on July 6. According to Trascher, he was part of an aircraft search team flying over the island as authorities responded on the shoreline below.
Trascher said the photos were shot from roughly 400 feet in the air and were meant to capture wide views of the law enforcement activity on the beach. He said he did not know at the time that Wells' body was visible in the pictures.
After enlarging the images, Trascher said, he saw Wells in the sand near the waterline.
Photos were not immediately shown to the family
Trascher told TMZ he has not been trying to keep the photos from Wells' parents, Christine Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley. He said the United Cajun Navy will make available what it gathered that day if the family wants to see it.
He also explained why he did not contact the family right away about the images. Trascher said he believed the photos could add to an already unbearable situation for Wells' loved ones.
Trascher also said officers on the beach had a closer and clearer view of the scene than his team had from the aircraft. His images, he said, were taken from above while authorities were already on the ground.
According to TMZ, Trascher said the family can reach out directly if they want the photos and related material collected by the United Cajun Navy during the search.
Questions remain around Wells' death
Wells was found dead on the shoreline of Horn Island on the morning of July 6, according to TMZ's report on Trascher's interview. The report did not include an official cause of death.
The case has drawn public attention as attorney Ben Crump has discussed findings from an independent autopsy. TMZ reported that Crump has pointed to potential trauma to the back of Wells' head, while also saying the independent autopsy left important questions unresolved.
Trascher also addressed Crump's comments during the interview, according to TMZ, including what could have caused the possible injury. The report did not present a final determination on that issue.
For now, Trascher's message to the family is direct: the photos exist, they may be difficult to view, and he says they can have access to them if they choose.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.