OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss.—Christine and Elmore Wonsley stood in a teary-eyed embrace as they spoke to a full crowd of family, friends and teammates who gathered to mourn and celebrate the life of their son Nolan Wells on Monday.
“We will miss everything about him,” Christine Wonsley said. “From his quiet nature to the corny jokes, his gentle smile.”
Wells, an 18-year-old resident of Ocean Springs, disappeared on July 4 during a boat trip with a group of friends to Horn Island, a lush barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast well known for its natural beauty and summer gatherings.
Christine Wonsley reported him missing to authorities late on July 4 after he failed to return from that trip. A ranger found his body two days later, on the northwest beach of the island.
Before the service began at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, family, friends and teammates packed the church, many dressed in light blue to honor Wells, to a prelude of “Heaven Gained an Angel.”
The funeral began with a prayer from Rev. Al Sharpton, who called for justice and asked those in attendance to remember Wells’ life with joy. Thaddeus Fairley Sr. then performed “Trust in God” by Elevation Worship.
Then, Wells’ parents, Elmore and Christine Wonsley, gave teary expressions reflecting on the life of their son and his protective, nurturing nature.
Christine Wonsley said Wells had a way about him that made everyone feel at ease and his absence has left “an emptiness that can never truly be filled.”
“We will always be proud of the legacy of love, kindness and faith that you have left behind,” she said, speaking to her son.
‘Somebody Saw Something’
In a passionate eulogy, Rev. Sharpton called for answers and urged people not to pass judgment until investigators have uncovered all the facts in the case.
“We cannot say it was racist, but we cannot say it was not racist,” Sharpton said. “So let’s not judge either way until all the evidence is in.”
Sharpton also questioned why officials have seemed quick to dismiss that foul play might have been a possible factor in Wells’ death, why 18-year-old Wells would leave his phone with friends and why his friends did not immediately call police to report him missing.
The group of friends that Wells rode with to the crowded island that day told law enforcement that they left at 4:30 after their boat began taking on water, and that he declined to ride back with them, saying he would ride back on another boat. One of those friends contacted the U.S. Coast Guard around 11 p.m. on July 4 after realizing Wells had never returned.
No suspects have been announced in Wells’ death, nor has his death been ruled a homicide. Across social media, misinformation has spread after the teenager’s passing, much of it targeting the friends and acquaintances in Wells’ presence prior to his death.
At a press conference on Wednesday, attorney Ben Crump said his team had agreed to have a “mutual inspection” of Wells’ cell phone with their own experts and Jackson County investigators.
Sharpton then offered a $50,000 reward for anyone who could provide information that leads to an arrest. Filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry, who had already covered the cost of the funeral, later matched the reward while watching online, for a total reward of $100,000.
“He was not on that island by himself,” Sharpton said. “Somebody saw something or knows something.”
GPS data that CBS News first reported after making a public records request to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources showed the boat Nolan Wells traveled to Horn Island, departing at 9:56 a.m. that morning and arriving just over an hour later. It left the island at 4:31 p.m., as Wells’ friends had previously stated, following a mechanical issue on the boat.
Tracestin Shepherd, one of Wells’ friends present on the island the day of his disappearance, told ABC News that Wells declined to return to shore when the boat departed so that he could stay with a girl he’d met. Wells, he said, intended to return on a different friend’s boat.
Sharpton said he believes Mississippi’s racist history, including the lynching of Emmett Till, is the reason why a lot of people in the nation are calling for answers about Wells’ death.
“Some of us remember what happened in Mississippi,” Sharpton said. “Before we can medicate and heal today, we’ve got to look at your history.”
Because of Mississippi’s history, Sharpton said “we’ve got to be able to dig deep.”
“We can’t have people in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before the investigation,” he continued.
Still, Sharpton acknowledged the multiracial crowd that turned out to pay their respects to Wells.
“One of the things that I’m glad to see is that there are people of all races at this funeral,” Sharpton said. “And there are people of all ages. All whites are not racist, and all Blacks are not angry. Somewhere in the middle, we’ve got to meet and find what is just and fair. And that is why we want to celebrate Nolan and at the same time say we want a full and thorough investigation.”
Following the eulogy, Crump led the crowd in a chant of “Nolan’s life mattered.”
Both Autopsies Still Unreleased
At a press conference that followed the funeral, Crump said his team and the family are still waiting to receive an incident report and results of the autopsy.
Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd Jr. confirmed to the Mississippi Free Press in a July 8 interview that the Mississippi State Medical Examiner conducted Wells’ autopsy on July 7, shortly after the discovery of his body. Lynd, who personally examined Wells’ body on Horn Island, told this reporter he had seen no obvious signs of external injuries, and that Wells’ body had not been bound in any way, contrary to rumors he’d seen on social media.
But the condition of the body necessitated a swift review by the state examiner. Those results have yet to be released, likely while investigators wait on a toxicology report. Today, Crump said that it took six days for the family to receive Wells’ body after the official autopsy in order to conduct the secondary autopsy.
Attorney Crump also confirmed in a press event the week Wells’ body was discovered that he would receive a second, independent autopsy, funded by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Foundation. The autopsy’s results have yet to be released.
The family and attorneys met with Jackson County District Attorney Angel McIlrath about when they would receive the incident report on Wells’ death. Under Mississippi law, a victim is entitled to receive an incident report within 72 hours.
After the funeral, Christine Wonsley thanked the community along with Tyler Perry and others who provided funding to cover the costs of the service.
“We just cannot thank our community enough for rallying around us during this time” Christine Wonsley said.
Amy Schafer reported from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Nick Judin reported from Jackson, Mississippi.
Follow the Mississippi Free Press’ coverage of Nolan Wells and read past stories here.
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