Nolan Wells 'fully clothed' dispute gets United Cajun Navy denial

The Nolan Wells “fully clothed” dispute has turned into a public clash, with the United Cajun Navy saying Wells was found wearing swim trunks and accusing attorney Ben Crump of misrepresenting what the group told him.

In a statement posted online, the United Cajun Navy said it did not tell Crump or Wells’ family that Wells was found fully clothed. The organization said Wells was wearing only swim trunks when he was discovered.

The group went further, writing, “Did Attorney Crump lie about UCN? Yes,” and saying it had not spoken with Crump or supplied him with information that Wells had been found fully clothed.

The dispute centers on wording used after Wells’ body was recovered. United Cajun Navy president Todd Terrell previously used the phrase “fully clothed” in an interview, according to TMZ, but the organization now says that wording was taken the wrong way.

According to the United Cajun Navy, Terrell meant Wells was not naked because he had swim trunks on. The group said the relevant point is that Wells did not have other clothing on when he was found.

What was Nolan Wells wearing when he was found?

The United Cajun Navy says Wells was wearing swim trunks and no additional clothing. The group says its president’s earlier use of “fully clothed” was meant to distinguish that from being found naked, not to suggest Wells was dressed in more clothes.

The organization accused critics of turning the clothing language into a distraction. In its statement, it said the debate over “fully clothed” was being used to draw attention away from what it described as a “press conference blunder.”

Crump addressed the broader dispute Saturday, saying the issue was not about attacking anyone, according to TMZ. He said his purpose is to find out what happened to Wells on Horn Island on July 4.

Crump also said he would stand with the truth regardless of whom it implicates or clears, and called for full transparency in the investigation, according to TMZ.

Wells’ body was found two days after he went missing. Authorities have said he drowned, while Wells’ family and Crump have rejected that account, according to TMZ.

The disagreement has grown amid wider scrutiny of public statements about the circumstances of Wells’ death and information discussed during a recent press conference. TMZ has also reported on a newly released video that could show a final sighting before Wells disappeared, and on an independent autopsy that raised the possibility of a head injury.

TMZ reported that it contacted Crump’s press team for comment on the United Cajun Navy’s latest statement and had not received a response.

This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.