“No Foul Play” Was a Prejudgment: Nolan Wells’ Family Demands Answers During NABJ Convention

Nolan Wells’ parents say the story surrounding their son’s disappearance and death still does not add up, and they are demanding truth, transparency and a thorough investigation.

Nolan Wells’ parents are still demanding answers about what happened to their 18-year-old son.

Speaking with Tiffany Cross at the NABJ convention in Atlanta, Christine Wells-Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley describe the final time they saw Nolan, the hours after they learned he was missing, and the confusion they say followed as they tried to get authorities to respond. Christine recalls being bounced between agencies while searching for help and asking, “Where is the urgency?” The family says they eventually went onto the water themselves with Nolan’s football coach and others to search.

Elmore says several parts of the story they were given did not make sense to him, including claims that Nolan stayed behind on the island with a girl, that he did not have his phone because of poor reception, and the difficulty the family says it had recovering Nolan’s belongings. His conclusion was blunt: “you lied to me three times. I don't believe nothing that you tell me from here on out.”

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump says the family’s objective has remained the same from the beginning: truth, transparency and a thorough investigation. He says they do not want Nolan’s death “swept under the rug” and questions how authorities could move so quickly to say there was no foul play.

Rev. Al Sharpton says that early conclusion is exactly what raised his concern. “when they told me that law enforcement said there is no foul play, that's a prejudgment,” he says. Sharpton makes clear that he does not know whether race played a role, but argues that no one can responsibly rule things out before establishing what happened. Nolan’s parents say they have not blamed anyone. They want answers.

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