{"id":613,"date":"2026-07-08T07:15:52","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T07:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/?p=613"},"modified":"2026-07-08T07:15:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T07:15:52","slug":"nolan-xavier-wells-family-retains-attorney-ben-crump","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/?p=613","title":{"rendered":"Nolan Xavier Wells&#8217; Family Retains Attorney Ben Crump"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/theshaderoom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/family-of-Nolan-Xavier-Wells-Nolan-Xavier-Wells-family-attorney-Nolan-Xavier-Wells-family-lawyer-Nolan-Xavier-Wells-Ben-Crump-civil-rights-lawyer.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Nolan Xavier Wells&#8217; Family Retains Attorney Ben Crump\" title=\"Nolan Xavier Wells&#8217; Family Retains Attorney Ben Crump\" \/><\/div><p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The family of <strong>Nolan Xavier Wells<\/strong> has retained civil rights lawyer <strong>Ben Crump<\/strong>. The 18-year-old college student was found dead on Horn Island in Jackson, Mississippi, on Monday, July 6. Nolan went to the island with a group of friends on the Fourth of July and never returned. The Jackson County Sheriff\u2019s Office claims Nolan willingly stayed on the island alone. According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/bencrump.com\/press\/family-of-nolan-xavier-wells-retains-attorney-ben-crump-after-18-year-old-found-dead-following-fourth-of-july-trip-to-horn-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"press release from Crump (opens in a new tab)\">press release from Crump<\/a>, the Wells\u2019 family wants a \u201cthorough and transparent\u201d investigation into his death.<\/p>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">RELATED:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/theshaderoom.com\/listicle\/nolan-xavier-wells-missing-dead-horn-island-mississippi-social-media-reactions-only-black-person-white-friend-groups\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"Nolan Xavier Wells\u2019 Death Ignites Social Media Conversation About Being The Only Black Person In Non-Black Spaces &amp; Friend Groups (opens in a new tab)\">Nolan Xavier Wells\u2019 Death Ignites Social Media Conversation About Being The Only Black Person In Non-Black Spaces &amp; Friend Groups<\/a><\/h5>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Nolan Xavier Wells\u2019 Family Retains Ben Crump Amid Questions About His Death<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Nolan was reported missing by his mother to the Jackson County Sheriff\u2019s Office around midnight on Saturday after he didn\u2019t return with the rest of the group. He was found two days later and identified through family confirmation and dental records, per <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlox.com\/2026\/07\/07\/timeline-heres-what-we-know-about-search-recovery-18-year-old-nolan-wells\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"WLOX (opens in a new tab)\">WLOX<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/US\/body-found-believed-missing-mississippi-18-year-absolutely\/story?id=134544120\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"ABC News (opens in a new tab)\">ABC News<\/a>, the group claimed Nolan wanted to stay on the island, so they \u201cwent back\u201d without him. Nolan was seemingly one of the only Black people amid the seemingly majority white group. The lack of answers from the group he traveled with to Horn Island has raised suspicions and public demands for clarification. Sheriff John Ledbetter has already said his department doesn\u2019t suspect foul play, but investigators are considering a drowning.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cFrom what we understand, he chose to stay there,\u201d said Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter. Later adding, \u201cThere\u2019s no information that we have right now that would lead us to believe that a crime has occurred.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Crump released a statement after Nolan was found. The civil rights\u2019 lawyer called for a transparent investigation into Nolan\u2019s death.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>\u201cNolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate and friend who went out to celebrate the Fourth of July and never came home,\u201d <\/strong>reads Ben Crump\u2019s statement. <strong>\u201cHis family deserves answers. They deserve the truth. We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light, and we call on investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DagT65mjefe\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<p>\n                      <iframe class=\"custom-ig-embed\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DagT65mjefe\/embed\/captioned\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"640px\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><\/iframe>\n                  <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Nolan\u2019s Mother Updates Public Profile Amid Son\u2019s Death<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theshaderoom.com\/nolan-xavier-wells-mother-christine-wosnley-heartbreaking-message-family-photos-found-horn-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"The Shade Room (opens in a new tab)\">The Shade Room<\/a> previously reported that his mother, <strong>Christine Wonsley,<\/strong> shared a picture of Nolan with three friends on a boat taken on the same day he disappeared. She also on Tuesday updated her Facebook profile picture with a photograph of herself with Nolan.<\/p>\n<p>His mysterious death prompted questions about how he died, and a video taken on Horn Island on July 4 raised more concerns. The video was shot from a boat and seemingly shows a man resembling Nolan standing by on the beach as an argument took place. One individual is heard yelling the F-word, but the audio is distant. It\u2019s unclear if the college student was the target of the shouting individual as crowds of people are seen looking on.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Nolan\u2019s Childhood Friends Spoke Out After His Death<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sunherald.com\/news\/local\/counties\/jackson-county\/article316401115.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"Sun Herald (opens in a new tab)\">Sun Herald<\/a>, Nolan\u2019s best friend, <strong>Jayvon Williams<\/strong>, was supposed to ride out to Horn Island on the same boat as him. He didn\u2019t because it was full, but he remembers last seeing Nolan around 4 p.m. on the island.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>\u201cAs soon as we got out there, he told me that he loved me,\u201d<\/strong> recalled Jayvon.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Another friend, <strong>Trace Carter<\/strong>, said he talked to Nolan before the trip.<strong> \u201cJust hit me up when you get back,\u201d said Carter. \u201cJust be careful, bro. Watch out for yourself.\u201d <\/strong>Nolan replied, <strong>\u201cI got you. I\u2019ll hit you up later.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DaeaCSVBpB4\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<p>\n                      <iframe class=\"custom-ig-embed\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DaeaCSVBpB4\/embed\/captioned\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"640px\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><\/iframe>\n                  <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">RELATED:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/theshaderoom.com\/nolan-xavier-wells-horn-island-mississippi-missing-person-search-bodyy-found-update-mother-christine-wonsley\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"Body Of\u00a018-Year-Old Nolan Xavier Wells Found On Horn Island Two Days After Going Missing, Mother Confirms (UPDATE) (opens in a new tab)\">Body Of\u00a018-Year-Old Nolan Xavier Wells Found On Horn Island Two Days After Going Missing, Mother Confirms (UPDATE)<\/a><\/h5>\n<div class=\"wpra-reactions-wrap wpra-plugin-container\" style=\"justify-content: center;;\">\n<div class=\"wpra-reactions-container\" data-ver=\"1.3.10\" data-post_id=\"281376\" data-show_count=\"true\" data-enable_share=\"onclick\" data-behavior=\"regular\" data-animation=\"true\" data-share_url=\"https:\/\/theshaderoom.com\/family-of-nolan-xavier-wells-retains-civil-rights-attorney-ben-crump-as-investigation-into-his-death-continues-update\/\" data-secure=\"3463a5edd1\">\n<p>What Do You Think Roomies?<\/p>\n<p>                                             <!-- end of share buttons -->\t\t\t            <\/div>\n<p> <!-- end of reactions container -->        <\/div>\n<p><!-- end of reactions wrap --><\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The family of Nolan Xavier Wells has retained civil rights lawyer Ben Crump. The 18-year-old college student was found dead on Horn Island in Jackson, Mississippi, on Monday, July 6. Nolan went to the island with a group of friends on the Fourth of July and never returned. The Jackson County Sheriff\u2019s Office claims Nolan&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":614,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/theshaderoom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/family-of-Nolan-Xavier-Wells-Nolan-Xavier-Wells-family-attorney-Nolan-Xavier-Wells-family-lawyer-Nolan-Xavier-Wells-Ben-Crump-civil-rights-lawyer.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=613"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/613\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valutednews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}