Attorneys representing the family of Nolan Wells have agreed to work with the Jackson County district attorney's office to inspect the contents of Wells' cellphone. The phone was recovered from his friends after Wells was reported missing during a July 4 boat trip to an island off the Mississippi coast.

Wells’ family has raised concerns about the investigation, including allegations that messages appeared to have been erased from the phone before it was returned to them. On Wednesday, the family’s attorneys met with District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath to discuss the inquiry process.

Attorney Ben Crump stated that McIlrath committed to presenting the completed investigation to a grand jury. Crump emphasized the importance of a thorough and impartial review, saying, “The hope is when this is presented to the grand jury, all relevant witnesses and evidence will be presented to them, so we can have a fair and impartial investigation into the death of Nolan Wells. Our lived experiences tell us that we must question everything, everybody’s role, law enforcement’s role.”

Ronald Rychlak, a law professor at the University of Mississippi, noted that most felony cases in Mississippi are reviewed by a grand jury, which typically consists of 15 to 25 citizens who decide if there is sufficient evidence for an indictment.

Wells’ mother reported him missing shortly after midnight on July 5. Both the family’s attorneys and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department have appealed to witnesses and anyone with video footage from the island to come forward to aid the investigation.

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