Grand jury finds insufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing in Nolan Wells’ death

Jackson County Sheriff's Department

A grand jury unanimously found that there was not enough evidence to bring charges in the death of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old who was found dead after a Fourth of July trip with friends off the coast of Mississippi.

The grand jury said in a report released Monday by the Jackson County District Attorney’s office that it “finds that the position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location of Mr. Wells’ body is consistent with drowning.”

“There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan’s death and disappearance were racially motivated,” District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said in a video statement released alongside it.

The announcement caps months of speculation about the circumstances of Wells’ death, after photos circulated widely of the Black teen surrounded by White friends during the trip to Horn Island. Wells’ body was found on July 6 on Horn Island.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

杰克逊县警长办公室

大陪审团一致认为，没有足够的证据对诺兰·威尔斯（Nolan Wells）的死亡提出指控。诺兰·威尔斯是一名 18 岁的青年，在与朋友于 7 月 4 日在密西西比海岸附近旅行后被发现死亡。

杰克逊县地方检察官办公室周一发布的一份报告中称，大陪审团“发现威尔斯先生的遗体位置、状况、发现时间和地点与溺水相符”。

“没有任何证据支持诺兰的死亡和失踪是出于种族动机的指控，”地区检察官安吉尔·迈尔斯·麦克伊尔拉斯在一段同时发布的视频声明中说。

此前，威尔斯与白人朋友在霍恩岛旅行期间的照片广泛流传，引发了数月以来关于他死因的猜测。最终，官方公布了威尔斯的死讯。7月6日，威尔斯的遗体在霍恩岛被发现。

这是一则正在更新的新闻。