Nolan Wells Update: Friend Returns to Beach Where Teenager’s Body Was Found

One of Nolan Wells‘ friends recently returned to Horn Island, weeks after the Mississippi teenager’s body was discovered after disappearing during a Fourth of July outing.

During an appearance on The Officer Tatum Show on Wednesday, July 22, Nolan’s friend Warren Hudson revisited the barrier island with host Brandon Tatum, and they returned to the same area where Nolan was last seen before he disappeared and where his body was later found.

During the visit, Tatum said that the beach was far from deserted on the holiday weekend and claimed there were numerous boats in the area and large crowds gathered on the island.

“They want you to believe they came to a secluded island, just four of them, and then Nolan is left behind, and then his body’s washed up on shore and nobody knows what happened,” Tatum said to the camera. “Nobody could have seen what happened, but the boys. It’s a flatout lie.”

He also gave Hudson a chance to talk and asked him if there was anything he wanted people who aren’t familiar with the area to know.

“I mean … if someone’s not from here, it’s kind of hard to understand, you know, where the island drops off and how the island works,” Hudson explained. “But, you know, there’s plenty of people out here, especially on the 4th of July. This is where people come to celebrate.”

Tatum later asked for clarification on the unfounded rumors that Nolan’s friends didn’t ask him to return to the mainland with them. Hudson denied that and explained that the boat they were planning to take back began having issues and water was coming aboard.

“Obviously, we were in an emergency. We’re trying to save the boat,” Hudson said. “It’s not like we didn’t ask Nolan or we just left Nolan. Nolan decided to stay on the island with the girl that he was with. And the girl is a witness to that too.”

Nolan was just 18 years old when his body was found face down on the shore of the barrier island. Since then, his parents, Christine Wells-Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley have continued to search for answers.

Mississippi officials have previously said that they don’t suspect foul play. However, Nolan’s parents commissioned their own independent investigation into their son’s death and hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump to represent them.