Nolan Wells' Mom Points to Something Suspicious in His Snapchat Messages After He Vanished — and His Best Friend Is Now Speaking Out

Fresh interviews with the family of Nolan Wells have revealed new details that are raising even more questions about the 18-year-old's mysterious death. As his loved ones continue searching for answers, two moments from his final hours have become especially difficult for them to explain.

Those revelations come as the teenager's best friend has also addressed a viral video that many online have linked to the case, offering his own perspective while insisting that "none of this adds up."

Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, disappeared after traveling to Horn Island with friends during a Fourth of July outing. His body was recovered two days later, but exactly what happened in the hours before his death remains under investigation.

Since then, Wells' family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump and launched an independent effort to understand better the circumstances surrounding his death. During a recent television interview, his parents and Crump explained why they believe several questions remain unanswered.

The Search for Answers Didn't End When Nolan Was Found

One issue, according to the attorney, involves differing accounts of Wells' last known movements before he vanished.

Crump said a young woman who had been speaking with Wells told investigators that he intended to return to the boat, while the friends he had traveled with reportedly gave a different version of events.

"The fact that they said Nolan was talking to a young woman and she said that he said, 'I'm going back to get on the boat with the boys.' The boys said that he said he was going to stay with her," Crump said. "And so that's an obvious contradiction."

A Final Plea That Has Become One of the Family's Biggest Questions

As the interview continued, Crump revealed another detail that has become central to the family's concerns. According to him, a video recorded that day captured what he described as an argument shortly before the teenager disappeared. Crump said:

"This video, you can hear an argument going on where Nolan is saying, 'Give me my freaking phone, what are you freaking doing?'"

He added that Wells' phone later went missing, a sequence of events that the family believes deserves closer scrutiny as the investigation continues.

Crump also questioned whether it made sense that Wells would intentionally remain behind without his cellphone. "I don't know any teenagers [...] who says, 'I'm going to stay behind, and I'm going to leave my phone.' I mean, no young person leaves their cell phone."

Then His Mother Opened Snapchat

When Wells' phone was eventually returned to his parents, they began looking through it themselves. His mother, Christine Wonsley, said one discovery immediately stood out to her after opening Snapchat.

According to the grieving mother, Wells had two Snapchat accounts, yet she could not find the kind of content she was accustomed to seeing him post during outings with friends:

"I've seen Nolan whenever he snaps. Like, when he goes and he's having fun, like, he does videos. Like, there was absolutely nothing. No saved videos. And even my sister was like, 'Yeah, that's That's suspicious, you know.'"

She explained that there were no saved videos or photos, something she said felt unusual given how recently the trip had taken place.

His Best Friend Says the Viral Argument Video Isn't What Many Think

As the discussion surrounding the investigation has intensified online, Wells' best friend, Jayvon Williams, has also spoken publicly about a video circulating on social media. During a separate interview, Williams was asked whether Wells was the person heard arguing in the clip.

His response suggested he does not believe that is the case. "But in that video, I feel like it's the voices are too clear. Like from the side, it's too clear for it to be that far away for it to be Nolan arguing," Williams said.

Instead, he said he believes the voices belong to another friend, "And then also that altercation, it sounds just like my other friend that got into an altercation on the boat. And they were trying to — like as he was in the altercation that was calming him down — they were trying to get him out off the island."

"They were trying to get him back to land because he was just losing it," Williams recalled. "He was just very hostile. Like, he was just, like, mad. Like they were just trying to like — the parents on that boat were trying to get him out," Williams added.

'None of This Adds Up': Wells' Best Friend Says He Still Hasn't Been Interviewed

Williams also said he has not yet been interviewed by law enforcement despite knowing Wells really well and being familiar with the group that spent time together that day. Although surprised by that, he said he remains willing to speak with investigators whenever needed.

"Like I said, I have nothing to hide, like that's my boy, and I want him to find justice," he said. He added, "This whole situation... none of this adds up honestly."

As we previously reported, authorities said Wells was last seen near the island around 3 p.m. His close friend, 17-year-old Williams, had planned to ride on the same boat, but it reached capacity before he could board. Williams traveled on another boat, though the friends still met on the island. He placed their final encounter sometime after 4 p.m.

Wells reportedly spent part of the day talking with a girl he knew and socializing with others on the beach. During the outing, he pulled Williams aside and told him that he loved him.

Another friend, Trace Carter, had also spoken with Nolan and asked him to check in when he made it back safely. Wells reportedly promised to reach out that evening.

He never did. Wells did not return with the group, and authorities were told that he had chosen to remain on Horn Island. By midnight, his mother, Christine Wonsley, had contacted the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office to report him missing.

July 5: The Search Expands Across the Water

The search intensified the following day. Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a request for assistance from local authorities at 12:26 p.m. and issued an urgent marine broadcast. A helicopter was also deployed to search the area.

A command post was established at the Lake Mars Boat Launch as multiple agencies joined the operation, including the Coast Guard, National Park Service, Gulf Islands National Seashore, and state and local authorities.

The volunteer rescue group United Cajun Navy also joined the effort. As crews searched the water and surrounding areas, Wells’ family and loved ones waited for news.

July 6 – 7: A Devastating Discovery and a Search for Answers

The search ended in heartbreak on July 6, when a U.S. Park Service ranger found a body near the northwestern tip of Horn Island. Later that day, Christine Wonsley publicly confirmed that the remains were those of her son.

Dental records formally confirmed Wells' identity the following day. His family then retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, whose team announced plans to independently review the circumstances of the 18-year-old's death and seek access to records, witness accounts, and autopsy findings.

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office also appealed for photos, videos, and firsthand information about anything unusual on Horn Island on July 4.

As attention increasingly turned to Wells' final hours and the friends who had been with him that day, the mother of one of those friends publicly shared her account of what happened.

A Judge Breaks Her Silence on What Happened July 4

In a lengthy Facebook post, Judge Ashlee Cole addressed rumors surrounding her family and explained why she had deactivated her social media account. Judge Cole said her son, Warren, "loved Nolan dearly" and that she feared for her children’s safety amid the intense attention surrounding the case.

She also revealed that she and Wonsley had known each other long before the tragedy. They graduated from the same high school and came from the same community.

"I graduated high school with Christine Wells-Wonsley. We are from the same community. I have the utmost respect for her and all of the Wells family. We mourn the loss of Nolan with them. Our prayers have been and will continue to be with them," Judge Cole wrote.

She then addressed what she said happened during the crucial hours before Nolan disappeared. "My husband and I were not at Horn Island at any point on 4th of July. No one in our family is trying in any way to impede with the investigation by law enforcement or to otherwise hamper the family and law enforcement’s quest for answers."

"Warren was interviewed by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and cooperated fully. He saw Nolan last at around 3 pm on July 4th. They left around 4:30 pm when the boat was taking on water, and they had an issue with the bilge pump. Nolan made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends."

The judge also directly addressed her decision to deactivate her Facebook account. "Yes, I am a judge. I also value transparency. I apologize if anyone was offended that I deleted my social media. There were no nefarious motivations in my deleting my social media. Social media has a lot of positives, but a whole lot of negatives," she wrote.

"We live in a world of click-baiting. Sad, but true." Judge Cole said she hoped her statement would redirect attention toward Wells' family, their grief, and their need for support.

Wells' Family Seeks Another Autopsy

As questions about Wells' final hours continue, his family has taken another step in its search for answers. In an interview reported by WWL Louisiana, the attorney representing Wells' family said his body was sent to Washington, D.C., for an independent autopsy.

Mississippi's state medical examiner had already performed an autopsy, but no official cause of death had been released. The state results, including toxicology findings, could take weeks to come in.

Authorities have said they believe Wells likely drowned and that foul play is not currently suspected. However, Crump has pointed to what he described as contradictions in accounts of Nolan’s final movements.

Deleted Messages Raise Another Concern

The family’s questions also extend to Wells' cellphone. According to a New York Post report, Crump said Wells' friends told police that he wanted to stay on the island, where he was last seen talking with a girl, but "they took his cellphone."

Crump said Wells' family later became concerned after the phone was returned to them and they discovered that messages had been deleted.

"That's not adding up to them. The fact that then when the family gets the cellphone back … they're saying they are trying to understand why there are deleted messages, and so it's very concerning to them."

As investigators continue working to determine exactly what happened on Horn Island, Nolan Wells' family says they are focused on finding the truth rather than on speculation. Until more answers emerge, they believe the conflicting accounts of his final hours, the alleged plea for his phone, and the unusual activity they say they found on his Snapchat remain questions that cannot be ignored.