Friend of Nolan Wells calls online death rumors crushing
Warren Hudson told the New York Post that speculation about Nolan Wells’ death has been painful as the teen’s family seeks answers.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
Warren Hudson, who described himself as Nolan Wells’ best friend, has spoken out after online speculation tied him to the Mississippi teen’s death, telling the New York Post the rumors have been devastating.
Hudson was among the people on a Fourth of July boat trip before Wells disappeared, according to TMZ. Wells, 18, was later found dead on July 6 along the shoreline of Horn Island.
Hudson told the New York Post that the attention has been painful because of his closeness to Wells. “It’s a sick world we’re living in,” he told the paper. “It’s terrible. Nolan was my best friend.”
He also pushed back on the online chatter surrounding the case, telling the New York Post, “There’s no facts out, just a lot of rumors. That’s just how the internet is today. That’s really it, it’s horrible.”
What is known about Wells’ final day
TMZ reported that Wells vanished after his friends left the area following the July 4 outing. According to the outlet, no witnesses have publicly reported seeing him after 4:30 p.m. that day.
The circumstances of Wells’ death remain under scrutiny by his family. TMZ reported that his relatives are carrying out their own inquiry and have ordered an independent autopsy.
The case has drawn wider attention in recent days, with family members, clergy and public figures pressing for information. Wells’ parents laid him to rest Monday at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, according to TMZ.
Rev. Al Sharpton officiated the service, TMZ reported. At the funeral, Sharpton and Tyler Perry each offered $50,000 for information leading to a conviction in Wells’ death, according to the outlet.
The reward offers came as the family continued looking for answers about what happened between the Fourth of July gathering and the discovery of Wells’ body two days later.
No public report cited by TMZ has identified a witness who saw Wells after 4:30 p.m. on July 4. Hudson’s comments to the New York Post mark one of the first public responses from someone described as being close to Wells and present around the time of the boat trip.
Hudson’s remarks did not provide new details about what happened to Wells. They did, however, directly address the online speculation that has surrounded him since the teen’s death became public.
Authorities’ findings, any official cause of death and the results of the family’s independent autopsy were not detailed in the reports cited by TMZ and the New York Post.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.