Official autopsy completed in Nolan Wells investigation as grand jury review looms

The report will not be released publicly while prosecutors continue investigating the 18-year-old’s death.

The official autopsy in the death of Nolan Wells has been completed by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office according to state officials, as reported by WLBT3.

The findings, however, will not be made public at this time. Instead, the report will be presented to a grand jury as part of the ongoing investigation. District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath previously said withholding the report follows standard procedure for death investigations in the county. According to the district attorney, nearly every non-natural death is presented to a grand jury before investigative records are released.

The update comes as civil rights attorney Ben Crump and his legal team continue conducting an independent investigation on behalf of Wells’ family. Speaking at the National Urban League conference in Nashville, Crump said his team is working with oceanic engineering experts to better understand how Wells’ body was found where he was last seen. Attorney Eric Hertz, who is leading the independent investigation, said the legal team has been in discussions with the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office about reviewing evidence together.

Meanwhile, the physician who performed the independent autopsy is seeking access to Wells’ throat for additional examination. According to WLBT, that part of the body was not available during the second autopsy. Separately, authorities announced the arrest of a California man accused of making online threats against Chancery Court Judge Ashlee Cole, whose family has been connected to the broader investigation.

The completion of the official autopsy does not mark the end of the investigation. The grand jury review, the independent forensic examination and continued evidence gathering all represent significant next steps.