Attorney says experts will review boat distress call from day Nolan Wells disappeared

Key Points:

• Nolan Wells’ family has hired audio engineers to review a distress call made from a boat on the day of his disappearance, amid ongoing investigations and online speculation about the 18-year-old’s death.
• The distress call, released by Mississippi authorities, captures a July 4 plea for help from a boat taking on water near Horn Island, where Wells was last seen; law enforcement say witnesses reported Wells was not on the boat when it left the island.
• The case has sparked widespread online speculation and unfounded accusations against Wells’ white friends, leading to threats and doxing, with some families issuing cease-and-desist letters to stop defamatory claims.
• Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Wells’ family, is calling for an independent review of evidence and defends the focus on the case, highlighting similar recent deaths of Black teenagers Tyler Smith and Daniel Erving, and demanding answers.
• Wells’ parents have publicly urged anyone with information to come forward, emphasizing their commitment to uncovering the truth despite limited details released by law enforcement and an inconclusive independent autopsy.