The family of Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old football player whose body was recovered after he disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip in Mississippi, is calling for answers as authorities continue to investigate his death.
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Wells' body was found Monday in the waters off Horn Island, a barrier island about 10 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, near the area where he was last seen on July 4. The Jackson County Coroner's Office confirmed his identity Tuesday through dental records.
Officials have not determined a cause of death. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told ABC News that drowning is suspected, though the investigation remains ongoing and final autopsy results could take several weeks.
The family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said they are seeking a full accounting of what happened.
"Nolan Wells was a beloved son, teammate and friend who went out to celebrate the Fourth of July and never came home," Crump said in a statement. "His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth."
Crump called on investigators to pursue the case with "urgency and transparency."
Authorities have said foul play is not currently suspected. However, investigators are asking anyone who witnessed an argument, disturbance or other unusual activity on Horn Island that day to come forward after reports of a video circulating on social media that appears to show an altercation on the island.
According to investigators, Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. Friday after spending the holiday with friends. Sheriff Ledbetter said the group returned from the island without him, and Wells' mother reported him missing around midnight.
A standout wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College, Wells was remembered by family and friends as a beloved son, teammate and brother.
