Photo: Getty Images
Private messages recovered from Nolan Wells’ cellphone show his friends reacting to his disappearance, discussing how to respond to police and addressing allegations of a cover-up after his body was found.
PEOPLE reported that a 292-page analysis conducted by digital forensics firm Garrett Discovery documented messages from 29 group chats on Wells’ phone, including conversations among friends who were with him on and around Horn Island, Mississippi, before his body was found on July 6.
At 11:59 a.m. on July 5, one person wrote, “There is def some sus s--- going on.” Another questioned why Wells would leave his phone on a boat if he planned to leave the island with someone else.
As police began contacting people, friends discussed what to do if questioned. On July 6, one person advised asking for an attorney, while another urged the group to “just stick to what you know happened.”
Less than 30 minutes after a friend reported that Wells’ body had been found, another responded, “There’s no [expletive] way,” adding that Wells was “the best [expletive] person.”
The conversations later turned to online accusations that the group was covering up what happened. On July 14, one person suggested attending Wells’ funeral with their Black friends “to prove a statement for the media.”
On the day of Wells’ July 20 funeral, messages show Wells’ friends discussing putting up a cross in his memory. One person suggested bringing his flip-flops, and another replied, “We can bury those as well,” PEOPLE reported.
The phone analysis also included deleted Snapchat messages that became a point of contention between Wells’ family’s legal team and the district attorney.
Digital forensics expert Andrew Garrett clarified in September that the messages had been remotely unsent by other users, rather than deleted by someone accessing Wells’ phone.
In its report, the grand jury said allegations that people who traveled to and from Horn Island were involved in Wells’ death were “not based in truth” and resulted from “public clamor and private malice,” CBS News reported.
Wells’ cause and manner of death remain undetermined, and his family continues to call for a federal investigation. President Donald Trump said on October 7 that his administration was considering whether the FBI should investigate, telling reporters, “Well, we’re looking at that.”
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.