The family of 18-year-old Nolan Wells is refusing to let unanswered questions surrounding his death go unresolved. President Donald Trump is now signaling that federal investigators could take another look at the Mississippi teenager’s case.
According to USA TODAY, President Donald Trump acknowledged the possibility of an FBI investigation into Wells’ death during an Oct. 7 exchange with reporters at the White House. This is despite federal officials previously agreeing with local authorities’ findings.
“Well, we’re looking at that. Yes, we are,” Trump said when asked whether he would pursue a federal investigation, Reuters reported, citing USA Today.
The president’s response comes after a Mississippi grand jury declined to indict anyone in connection with Wells’ death during a Fourth of July boating trip to Horn Island in 2026. Jurors determined that the circumstances were consistent with drowning, in opposition to both state and independent autopsies that classified the cause and manner of death as undetermined.
For Wells’ family, those unanswered questions are why the investigation should not end.
Nolan Wells’ Family Challenges Drowning Findings As Federal Officials Back Local Investigation
In September, a grand jury concluded that Wells had voluntarily remained on the island to socialize, something jurors noted was not uncommon during holidays. USA TODAY reports that investigators found no evidence of a physical altercation or argument involving the teenager on July 4.
The grand jury also determined that bruising found on Wells’ head was not fatal and that the circumstances surrounding the discovery of his body were consistent with drowning.
However, Atlanta Black Star reports that an independent autopsy conducted by Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr. identified “unexplained blunt-force injuries to the back of his head.”
The family also questioned the reported absence of water in Wells’ lungs and stomach, although those findings alone do not rule out drowning.
Wells’ mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, expressed her frustration in a Facebook post shared by Atlanta Black Star.
“DO NOT COME to my page and try to explain to me that, despite there being NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE of a drowning/dry drowning in either autopsy report that I need to accept my child’s death and move on,” she wrote.
“MANNER AND CAUSE: UNDETERMINED!!!”
Despite the family’s concerns, USA TODAY reported that the Department of Justice told PEOPLE on Oct. 6 that federal officials assisted in the initial investigation and agreed with local authorities’ conclusions.
The DOJ maintained that investigators found no evidence of foul play or a crime, according to Atlanta Black Star. However, Trump’s subsequent remarks left open the possibility of additional federal scrutiny.
Ben Crump Welcomes Trump’s Response As Lawmakers Demand Federal Action
According to USA TODAY, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Wells’ family, welcomed Trump’s acknowledgment of the case after previously calling on the DOJ to conduct an investigation.
“Sunday will mark 100 days since we have been looking into the death of Nolan Wells, so when President Trump responds to news reporters that ‘we’re looking into it,’ we believe that carries more weight than the response given by the FBI,” Crump said in a statement. “Our team stands ready to work with the federal government to ensure Nolan’s death is investigated to the fullest extent.”
The family’s demands have drawn attention from civil rights organizations and lawmakers.
USA TODAY reported that the Congressional Black Caucus wrote to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel in August, requesting a deeper investigation. The NAACP and Rev. Al Sharpton also supported calls for federal intervention.
On Oct. 5, Wells’ parents renewed their demands, joined by advocates and lawmakers including Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters of California and Frederica Wilson of Florida.
According to Atlanta Black Star, Wilson also sent a letter to Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Park Service, requesting an investigation through the agency’s Investigative Services Branch.
“I urge you to direct the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB), which investigates complex and sensitive cases throughout the National Park System, to examine every circumstance surrounding Nolan’s death and pursue every available lead,” Wilson wrote.
Meanwhile, Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath has disputed speculation that race played a role in Wells’ death. According to USA TODAY, McIlrath criticized a widely circulated narrative suggesting that Wells was the only Black teenager among three White friends who returned from the island, calling that account false.
Crump, however, maintains that important questions remain about why Wells stayed behind, how he entered the water and what caused the injuries to his head.
“Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath will have you accept that Nolan Wells’ death can be summarized in three words: We’ll never know,” Crump said, according to USA TODAY .“But Nolan’s family offers three other words: We’ll never stop.”
No new FBI investigation had been confirmed.
