The state medical examiner reportedly finished Wells’ autopsy on July 7 at 8:30am. Notably, the findings of the autopsy will first go the grand jury before being made public.
Event Context
Also Read | Was Nolan Wells drinking heavily before death? New details emerge amid probe
Now, with the state autopsy results out, Wells’ mother has vowed to keep fighting for the truth in her son’s case.
The overlay text on the video read “Just trying to make it through life minute by minute,” and added “We will continue to fight for you and the truth.” The message was followed by a blue colored heart emoticon and a dove sign.
Player Focus
Wells, 18, was a football player from Mississippi who was out on the Fourth of July with his three friends. He was reported missing on the same day when they were in Horn Island, and his body was found two days later on July 6. Given that Wells was a Black teen out with his white friends, race became a talking point in the case though initial findings did not point to foul play.
Wells’ second autopsy was carried out by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell and paid for by NFL player Colin Kaepernick. However, the cause of death could not be determined due to several reasons.
Match Outlook
Notably, Wells’ family has sought transparency and publicly criticized the investigation as questions surrounding the circumstances of his death remain. The family has expressed fears that Wells’ death will be written off as an accidental drowning and to that end, they’ve started an independent investigation and an independent autopsy.
Wonsley further wrote in the caption – “Nolan Wells your father and I will always fight for you. Your life matters to us. There’s not a moment that goes by that we aren’t thinking of you.”
It added “We are truly blessed to have you as a son. We all love you so much.”
The doctor said parts of Wells’ neck could not be examined as they were not shipped with the body. Some of it might have been kept with the pathologist who performed the initial autopsy, which is common practice. Wells’ lungs also could not be examined to check for water, or the contents of his stomach could not be studied as they were ‘rightfully removed and dissected’ as part of the first autopsy.
As per Mitchell other key information is needed to make a determination in Wells’ case. This includes the toxicology report and how he entered the water. One significant finding Mitchell flagged was a red discoloration on the tissue at the back of Wells’ head by the occipital bone. “It is important to reiterate that this finding could not have been observed in the first autopsy because the posterior head and neck dissections were not performed,” he noted.
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According to Wells’ family attorney, Ben Crump, a legal team is working to give access to Dr Mitchell to parts of the body he could not examine, and furnish him with ‘photos and observations’ made when Wells was found.
