The mysterious death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells has taken another turn after a newly obtained document listed the missing teen's alcohol intake as "heavy" as authorities searched for him on Horn Island over the Fourth of July weekend.
The document, a July 5 Marine Patrol email, was sent to the U.S. Coast Guard as authorities searched for Wells. Along with his physical description and last known location, the email lists "Alcohol intake: Heavy," but does not identify the source of that information.
Wells, an Ole Miss freshman from Jackson, Mississippi, disappeared while on a boating trip to Horn Island with friends. An extensive multi-agency search ended July 6 when his body was discovered.
Authorities have not publicly identified a cause or manner of death, and the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's autopsy and toxicology results remain pending.
The details come days after a private autopsy commissioned by Wells' family concluded his cause and manner of death were "undetermined pending investigation."
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump discussed the findings at a July 22 news conference, where he mentioned an area of "red discoloration" was found on the back of Wells' head.
However, Crump noted that Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the independent autopsy, could not determine a cause or manner of death pending further investigation.
Crime Stories host Nancy Grace later discussed the findings, raising questions about the investigation. She pointed to what she described as deep red tissue beneath the skin at the back of Wells' head.
Grace questioned whether those findings could be significant, but emphasized that she did not know what caused Wells' death and noted there were "many accidental possibilities."
She also questioned why the lungs and throat were unavailable during the independent examination, suggesting that the investigation may be incomplete.
The Jackson County District Attorney has defended the investigation amid growing public scrutiny, saying authorities are following standard procedures and awaiting forensic testing before drawing conclusions.
Authorities have not indicated whether foul play is suspected, and the investigation remains ongoing.
