Horn Island locals describe deadly currents in Nolan Wells case
NBC News spoke with area regulars who said Horn Island’s waters can be dangerous as Nolan Wells’ family questions the drowning theory.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
The waters off Horn Island have killed before, according to people familiar with the area, a detail now sitting at the center of the disputed death of Nolan Xavier Wells.
NBC News reported that it spoke with several people who regularly visit the island, including a boat operator, as questions continue over what happened to Wells during the July 4 holiday weekend. The people spoke anonymously, NBC News said, because of the attention surrounding the case.
The boat operator described the local current as dangerous enough to overwhelm even people who know the water well. According to NBC News, the operator said people who grew up around Horn Island have died there, and that strength or swimming ability does not make someone immune to the conditions.
That account cuts against one of the central concerns raised by Wells’ family and their attorney, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump. Crump has argued publicly that a drowning explanation is hard to accept because Wells knew how to swim.
Authorities have said they believe Wells drowned, while also saying the investigation is continuing.
Locals describe a busy holiday routine
NBC News also reported that people familiar with Horn Island described a social, fluid weekend scene in which visitors often mix with other groups and may return by boat with people other than those they arrived with.
That detail matters because Wells’ original group has said he stayed behind on Horn Island at about 3 p.m. on July 4 rather than leaving with them. According to the account reported by NBC News, that kind of choice would not be considered unusual by people accustomed to weekends there.
Wells’ phone was also with the group that left, according to the reporting. People familiar with the area told NBC News that it is common for someone to leave a phone with others as a way to keep it dry and safe while spending time in the water.
Wells was found dead on July 6. His family has continued to press for more answers and has not accepted the drowning theory as settled.
Family pushes for scrutiny
Crump and the Wells family have called for their own investigation into the death. They have said they do not trust Mississippi authorities, citing the history of the Deep South.
The case has drawn national attention as competing accounts shape public understanding of the final hours before Wells died. On one side, authorities have pointed to drowning as their belief while keeping the investigation open. On the other, Wells’ family and Crump have questioned that conclusion and pushed for closer review.
NBC News’ interviews add another piece to the picture: local regulars who say Horn Island’s waters can be unforgiving, even for people who are comfortable swimming.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.