Mississippi College Player Nolan Wells Body Recovered

The body of 18-year-old college football player Nolan Xavier Wells was recovered on July 6 from Horn Island, Mississippi, two days after he went missing during a Fourth of July outing with friends. Authorities are investigating the circumstances of his death as his family, represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, pushes for a more thorough inquiry and plans an independent autopsy.

Wells, a wide receiver for Southwest Mississippi Community College and a graduate of Ocean Springs High School, was last seen around 3 p.m. on July 4 on the remote barrier island, which is accessible only by private boat. According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Wells was wearing blue swim trunks and sunglasses. His friends returned to the mainland later that day without him, and his phone was found left behind on their boat. His mother, Christine Wonsley, reported him missing that night after he failed to return home.

A multi-agency search involving the U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and the National Park Service ensued. A U.S. park ranger discovered a body at the northwestern tip of the island on the morning of July 6. The Jackson County...