# Grand Jury Drops Indictments in Nolan Wells Death Case

> Jackson County grand jury finds no evidence of foul play in 18-year-old Nolan Wells' death.
- Title: Grand Jury Drops Indictments in Nolan Wells Death Case
- Summary: Jackson County grand jury finds no evidence of foul play in 18-year-old Nolan Wells' death. Jackson County grand jury cleared Nolan Wells' death of racial…
- Keywords: nolan wells, jackson county, grand jury, indictments, mississippi, naacp, seahawks, Grand, Jury, Drops, Nolan, Wells
- Source: Rolling Stone — https://rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/nolan-wells-death-grand-jury-indictments-1235629677
- Author: Emily Zemler
- Published: 2026-09-22T07:31:06+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nolan wells, jackson county, grand jury, indictments, mississippi, naacp, seahawks
## Nolan Wells
18-year-old football player from Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

> A man places a photograph of Nolan Xavier Wells in front of the podium before a news conference during the 117th NAACP National Convention
## Disappearance
Wells disappeared on July 4 near Horn Island, Mississippi-Alabama border.

> Wells was with friends on Horn Island, a barrier island near the border of Mississippi and Alabama, when he disappeared on July 4
## Body Found
U.S. park ranger found Wells' body two days after disappearance.

> Two days later, a U.S. park ranger found his body on the island where he was last seen
## Autopsy Findings
First autopsy found bruising on head but no fatal injury.

> The first autopsy was conducted on July 7 by a state medical examiner in Mississippi. It found "there was bruising on the back of Mr. Wells' head, which was not a fatal injury" and found "no evidence of any fatal injury or organic disease"
## Grand Jury Decision
Jackson County grand jury unanimously decided against indictments.

> A grand jury investigating the death of Nolan Xavier Wells unanimously decided against making any indictments
## No Racial Motive
Grand jury found no evidence of racially motivated death.

> There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan's disappearance and death were racially motivated
## Key takeaway

Jackson County grand jury cleared Nolan Wells' death of racial motivation with no evidence of foul play.