Independent autopsy finds unexplained head discoloration on Mississippi teen

This article contains details about an autopsy result that may be distressing

Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old from Mississippi, was found dead in the water near Horn Island two days after he failed to return from a boating trip on 4 July, family lawyer Ben Crump said, and an independent autopsy has not yet determined the cause or manner of death.

The Jackson County Coroner conducted an initial autopsy whose results have not been released; the family requested an independent review carried out by board-certified forensic pathologist Dr Roger Mitchell, whose preliminary findings noted red discoloration on the back of Wells’s head without visible skull fracture or skin wounds.

Mitchell reported that decomposition limited assessment of bruising and he could not determine whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water, while original toxicology results from the coroner’s office were still pending, Crump said.

The independent examiner also noted portions of the throat were not received with the body, a practice sometimes used to reserve tissue during an initial exam, and said this, along with other missing information, left questions unanswered.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The independent autopsy identified red discoloration on the back of Nolan Wells’s head but found no wounds or skull fractures; decomposition prevented full evaluation for bruising, and toxicology and some throat tissues were not yet available, leaving the cause and manner of death undetermined based on the provided statements.

Family concerns include reports that Wells’s phone and car keys were with friends after the trip and that officials initially suggested accidental drowning, while the family emphasized Wells knew how to swim, according to Ben Crump and statements from the family.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Nolan Wells, 18, was found near Horn Island two days after not returning from a 4 July boating trip.
• Independent autopsy noted red discoloration on the back of his head; no skin wounds or skull fractures were observed.
• Decomposition limited assessment for bruising; toxicology results and some throat tissues were not yet available, leaving cause and manner of death undetermined.