A Jackson County grand jury unanimously determined there was no evidence of criminal activity in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells.

The panel returned a "no true bill" on Monday, clearing any potential charges related to the teen's disappearance and death during a July 4 outing on Mississippi's Horn Island. The decision followed months of investigation that included 132 subpoenas, testimony from 43 witnesses, GPS data, cellphone records, videos, and other physical and digital evidence.

Wells, a Black high school football player from Ocean Springs, traveled to the barrier island with a group of friends aboard boats including the Triton, Palm Beach, and Tideline. He chose to remain on the island when the vessels departed that afternoon. His body was discovered in the water near the coast on July 6.

The grand jury report stated that the position, condition, time of discovery, and location of Wells' body were consistent with drowning. Both the Mississippi State Chief Medical Examiner's Office and an independent pathologist hired by the family ruled the cause and manner of death undetermined, with drowning listed as a diagnosis of exclusion after other possibilities were ruled out. Toxicology tests found no drugs in his system, and there was no evidence of fatal injury or organic disease.

The report explicitly found no credible evidence to support public allegations of criminal conduct or racial motivation involving the friends who traveled with Wells. District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath noted in a video statement that a misleading narrative about the group had spread widely but was contradicted by the facts.

The investigation examined claims of foul play, including bruising noted on Wells' body, but determined any such injuries were not fatal. Witnesses described Wells slipping awkwardly off a boat earlier in the day. The grand jury acknowledged there is no statute of limitations on homicide but concluded the evidence did not support indictments.

The decision ends the possibility of criminal charges stemming from the incident while leaving the exact circumstances of Wells' death unresolved. The family has expressed ongoing grief, and authorities extended sympathies to them in the report.