Nancy Grace presses doubts in Nolan Wells drowning case
Nancy Grace questioned the official drowning finding after Nolan Wells’ mother claimed his phone messages had been deleted.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Nancy Grace has put Nolan Wells’ death under her true-crime microscope, zeroing in on one detail she and a guest called strange: an allegation that messages on the teenager’s phone were deleted.
On her “Crime Stories” program, Grace discussed the Mississippi teen’s case with New York Post correspondent Caitlyn Becker. According to TMZ, the pair focused on comments from Nolan’s mother, Christine Wonsley, who went on national television and claimed messages had been removed from his phone.
Grace and Becker did not present new evidence, according to TMZ, but they questioned whether the official explanation fully answers the family’s concerns. Authorities have ruled Nolan’s death an accidental drowning, while the investigation remains open.
What officials have said
Nolan’s body was found floating off the coast of Horn Island on July 6, according to TMZ. He had gone missing a couple of days earlier, over the Fourth of July weekend.
Police have classified the death as an accidental drowning, TMZ reported. No arrest has been announced, and the case is still being investigated.
The phone allegation has become a flashpoint for people around the case. Wonsley’s claim that messages were deleted has not been independently verified in the reporting, but it drew close attention from Grace during the segment.
Family supporters push for answers
Nolan’s funeral was held Monday, and WLOX video showed prominent figures among those connected to the service and public calls for more information.
Rev. Al Sharpton and Tyler Perry appeared in connection with the funeral events, according to TMZ. The two offered a combined $100,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in Nolan’s case.
The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, has also publicly challenged the official account. In an interview with TMZ, Crump said he did not trust the authorities’ explanation and argued that Mississippi officials were trying to minimize the death of a young Black child.
Crump’s comments reflect the family’s broader push for scrutiny beyond the drowning finding. Authorities’ ruling remains accidental drowning, and TMZ reported the investigation is continuing.
Possible final sighting
TMZ also reported it obtained video from July 4 that may show Nolan before he disappeared. The footage shows a Black man standing on the rear deck of a boat and wearing swim trunks similar to the ones Nolan had on, according to TMZ.
The outlet described the clip as a possible last image before Nolan’s death, but did not report that the person in the video had been confirmed as Nolan.
For now, the public debate is centered on two tracks: the official finding of accidental drowning, and the questions being raised by Nolan’s family, their attorney and now Grace’s program about whether there is more to learn.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.