Nolan Xavier Wells was 18 years old when he disappeared from the western tip of Horn Island on July 4, 2026. His body was found there six days later.
This timeline chronicles all known confirmed facts in the order events occurred—not the order they were reported. Sources: eyewitness accounts, GPS data, MDMR Marine Patrol Report MP2607-0016, independent autopsy, and public records.
Mississippi Dept. of Marine Resources · 15 pages · Primary investigative record
Nolan and friends attend a pool party in Pass Christian. A photo is taken of the group—the same photo that will later be misidentified by the public as having been taken on July 4th at Horn Island.
Nolan cooks a salmon dinner for the family. Before leaving that night, he tells his mother Christine he loves her. Hugs and kisses goodbye.
Nolan and Warren stayed the night with Wyatt. Plans for the next day: boats, Horn Island, Fourth of July.
Tracetin: "Just hit me up when you get back…Watch out for yourself."
Nolan: "I got you. I'll hit you up later."
Warren wakes early, grabs breakfast at McDonald's, and runs home. He goes back to Wyatt's so they can fill the boats with ice before meeting the rest of the group.
The group loads up at Jax's grandparents' dock and coordinates departure. Three vessels: Triton, Palm Beach, and Tideline.
The boats depart El Camino at 9:56 AM. The Triton's Garmin GPS records the timestamp; the route to Horn Island will later be reconstructed from this data.
Tide: NOAA Pascagoula (8741533) · Wind: NOAA Dauphin Island (8735180) · July 4, 2026
The boats arrive at the northwestern tip of Horn Island at 11:14 AM. An estimated 2,000–3,000+ people are expected on the island for the holiday.
Anchor formation: Tideline shore-side, Palm Beach in the middle, Triton outermost. The water drops from waist-deep to 17–20 feet quickly. The current at the western tip is notably strong.
Tracestin is already at the island when the group arrives. He helps the group find a spot and group settle in. Nolan is described by Warren, Jayvon, and others as "completely fine" throughout the afternoon—talking, laughing, enjoying the day. Nolan meets Katie McCormack on the island and they spend the afternoon together.
Warren's last confirmed sighting of Nolan: "Nolan was cradling Katie in his arms…Nolan was shaking his head and laughing."
A video circulates online of someone yelling "Give me my f—ing phone back." It is widely misattributed to Nolanbut the person yelling is Tracestin Shepherd. His uncle called him back on the boat. Nolan is with Katie elsewhere on the island at this time and is not involved.
Tracestin walks back toward his uncle's boat. Nolan crosses his path heading toward Wyatt's boat. They dap up. Tracestin makes a joke about the girl Nolan was with. Tracestin's last words to Nolan: "All right, buddy. I love you. See you later."
Tracestin's uncle decides it's time to leave after Tracestin got in a fight and still hasn't calmed down.
Warren's younger brother, Carter, gets into a fight on the beach. Warren runs to help. Carter was feeling defensive of Tracestin and when he saw the dude who came at Tracesin earlier, Carter essentially pulled up, bitch. Nolan was not involved in this incident either.
Warren checks the bilge hatch on the Triton: approximately 6 inches of water, battery submerged. The motor won't respond. Flooding built up from foot traffic over the transom. Wyatt throws the rear anchor; Warren and try to clear the bilge intake. offers to tow the Triton.
Warren and Wyatt shout for everyone to get on or off for the tow. After multiple calls for Nolan, he responds: "No, I'm staying out here. I'm going to ride in with somebody else." Katie later texts a friend: "The last time I saw him was when they were yelling for him to get on the boat."
The Triton and Palm Beach depart Horn Island at approximately 4:30 PM. Nolan remains on the island. Approximately 7 people return on the Triton per Sea Tow records. An estimated 20–30 people from other groups remain on the island.
Wyatt calls Sea Tow. offers to tow. After 4:31 PM, the Triton's GPS records show northbound movement beginning at 4:31 PM, consistent with a tow.
The Triton moved northbound at 0.06–4.2 knots over approximately 2.75 miles. The motor had a trim failure: it would drop into the water then spring back. Manual trim override allowed limited speed. Crew shifted weight to the bow to plane out and expel bilge water.
At 5:25 PM, the Triton regains normal operation at 30–35 knots and continues north to El Camino.
At 5:44 PM, the Triton arrives at El Camino, the original launch point.
The group, minus Nolan, makes plans to go to house to eat and rest before going to watch fireworks and swim at Ava's house.
Warren and friends attend a Fourth of July pool party and fireworks at Ava's house. Warren ends up spending the evening talking to her dad about boats and never makes it to the pool.
At the party, Warren asks around: "Where's Nolan? Have y'all heard from him?" Nobody has. It's concerning but not yet alarming because Nolan said he'd ride in with someone else.
Warren calls Tracestin who is asleep on his uncle's boat. The call goes unanswered.
Warren texts Jayvon to ask if Nolan rode back with them. Jayvon says no. Warren later states that if Christine Wonsley, Nolan's mother, hadn't heard from him, he was going to call the Coast Guard.
Warren reaches Tracestin through a mutual friend's phone. Tracestin's read: "He's probably out with that girl." Warren's read: "We're starting to freak out."
Before calling the Coast Guard, Warren checks Nolan's Snapchat location. It shows his phone is in Wyatt's truck. Warren confirms with Wyatt.
Warren calls Christine. This is the first call she receives about Nolan being missing. Warren tells Christine that friends have Nolan's phone. Warren tells Christine "Don't freak out. I'm going to call the Coast Guard."
Warren calls the U.S. Coast Guard and speaks for approximately 20 minutes. He provides Nolan's physical description, clothing, last known location, the time he was last seen, the boat information, and water conditions at the western tip of Horn Island.
MDMR creates incident CAD 2607-0196: MISS (Missing Person), Horn Island. Lt. Carron is advised by dispatch. Christine is forwarded to Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) to file an official report. Dispatch confirms the U.S. Coast Guard has been notified.
Christine and Elmore, Nolan's father, meet a DMR officer at McDonald's to officially file the missing persons report in person.
An unidentified caller rings the group—very aggravated, and asks "Where are y'all at?" and immediately hangs up.
About 30 minutes later, Tashema Hands, Jayvon's mother, arrives with a girl and 8–9 others and demands Nolan's phone. Wyatt retrieves it from his truck. Later, when Christine scrolls through Nolan's phone to look for indications of where he might be, she finds no photos or videos from Horn Island that day. It confuses and worries her.
Elmore goes to retrieve Nolan's car keys, which were left on an Xbox at Wyatt's house. It takes approximately 15 minutes to locate them. Warren had already been driven home by Brooks; he learns about this via a text from Wyatt.
Lt. Carron speaks with JCSO Lt. Odom, the shift supervisor. Odom says his deputies spoke with friends on the vessel. Nolan was last seen with an unknown female and chose to remain on the island. Most likely scenario: he rode home on another vessel without his phone.
Odom finds no reason to believe there is a water-related emergency. No further action is taken during Carron's shift.
Friends on the boat trip retain legal counsel. Warren: "Of course we lawyered up." He nonetheless gives JCSO investigators a full statement.
Les George, Nolan's former high school coach, sees Christine's social media posts and contacts Elmore on Facebook to offer his boat for the search.
Elmore and Christine, head out on Les's boat to search Horn Island before the official search is formally organized. Elmore observes a family that appears to be living or camping in a tent on the island.
Tracestin wakes early and goes out with Wyatt and others on Wyatt's boat to search the waters around Horn Island.
Warren wakes to texts from his dad. Nolan's photo is everywhere on Facebook. Warren's stepdad: "We're going and getting on the boat." Warren, Ricky, Brooks, Jax, his mom, and stepdad head out. At Horn Island, dozens of DMR boats, helicopters, and planes are covering the island, Ship Island, Chandeleur Island, and Petit Bois.
MDMR Lt. Col. Bryce Gex and Capt. Jack Ewing launch patrol vessel Admiral Dewey from the Biloxi Harbor and head for the northwestern tip of Horn Island.
Approaching Horn Island in the channel, a vessel signals Gex and Ewing. Aboard: Les George, Christine Wonsley, and Elmore Wonsley. The officers introduce themselves and exchange phone contact information with Les.
Christine posts on social media appealing for information, stating: "Nolan HAS NOT been found. His father and I have his cell phone so for friends who are seeing his location it’s because we have it. Katie has contacted me. We are currently at Horn Island. We are looking for any information other than what we already know. Please PM if you have any additional information."
Gex and Ewing search the southwestern shoreline and dunes with no results. Multi-agency assets on scene:
Gex calls MDMR Capt. William Freeman to request drone search capabilities at the island.
A rescue official directs Tracestin, Wyatt, and the private searchers to return to shore and use social media rather than continue searching—professionals have the area covered. They comply and return to the mainland.
MDMR creates case 2607-0205: Assist Another Agency, NW Tip Horn Island. Freeman and Lt. Kasovich arrive by vessel. Freeman attempts 3 drone launches—each fails due to a software issue that cannot be repaired in the field.
Freeman requests Senior Master Sgt. Shay Smith report for duty with additional drones. Freeman and Kasovich pick up Smith and transport him to Horn Island by vessel.
Officer Strickland interviews Laney Naquin of Pascagoula who was initially reported to have been at Horn Island with the group. Laney: she was not on Horn Island, she was on Petit Bois Island with a completely different group. She knew Nolan but had not seen or spoken with him in over a year.
Coast Guard Sector Mobile receives a JCSO request for assistance. An urgent marine broadcast is issued. A Coast Guard helicopter is deployed to the search area.
JCSO issues a public missing person announcement: searching for Nolan Xavier Wells, 18, Black male, 6'1", 180 lbs. Last seen July 4 on Horn Island in blue swim trunks, no shirt, sunglasses.
Smith launches the first drone from 30°14.603′N / 088°46.427′W, just east of the anchor position. The search covers approximately 0.1 square miles in a parallel pattern.
Nolan Wells is not located.
A second drone launches from 30°14.454′N / 088°45.966′W. The flight ends abruptly: a battery separates from the drone. Heat has caused the lithium-ion batteries to swell. All further drone flights are cancelled.
Nolan Wells is not located.
CAD log: Officers Husley (MP21) and McNair (MP107) are at the Chimney Stacks, the far eastern end of Horn Island, roughly 8 miles from where Nolan was last seen. The search corridor is expanding east while drone operations have concluded from the west.
Strickland contacts Jennifer Pyron, Wyatt's mother. Verbal consent granted. Strickland views the Triton's Garmin GPS. The track lines confirm: vessel was at the western tip of Horn Island on July 4th at 30°14.626′N / 088°46.629′W.
Search area narrows decisively. JCSO takes lead on the investigation; MDMR shifts to supporting role.
JCSO establishes a command post at Lake Mars Pier. Multi-agency search response:
An MDMR patrol vessel is sent to the northwestern tip of Horn Island for sonar surveys. The surveys are inconclusive and terminated due to adverse weather conditions.
Tracestin is up at 5:00 AM with a plan: take a boat to the Chandelier Islands with friends at 7:00 AM. He fuels his boat at 6:00 AM.
The United Cajun Navy launches a coordinated land/air/sea search of the Horn Island area at 6:00 AM just as the search for a living person becomes the recovery of a body.
UCN vice president Brian Trascher, who spoke with witnesses from the island, says the beach on July 4 was packed with boats and people, "some of whom had been drinking alcohol." Trascher notes that strong rip currents were present that day and that if someone had fallen into the water, those currents may have posed a significant risk.
Search vessels depart for Horn Island. The last boats leave just before 8:00 AM.
Nolan's body washes up on shore face down at the northwestern tip of Horn Island. A U.S. National Park Service ranger discovers him at 8:40 AM.
The location: the same western tip where he was last seen six days earlier.
Sheriff Ledbetter confirms the call. Coroner Bruce Lynd is notified. No immediate signs of physical injury or obvious foul play at the scene. Family is called to Lake Mars Pier.
While leaving McDonald's, Tracestin gets the news: Nolan's body has been found. He immediately calls Warren.
The family is taken to the coroner's office in Pascagoula for identification.
Christine posts on Facebook confirming the body is Nolan.
Coroner Lynd confirms the body is Nolan Wells via dental records. Due to uncertain circumstances and body condition, Lynd requests a state autopsy by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office.
Sheriff Ledbetter issues a public statement: no foul play is suspected in Nolan's death. The statement is meant to update a community demanding answers — but it backfires. Social media erupts in frustration, with many pointing out that a full investigation has barely begun and the cause of death hasn't been determined.
Warren is interviewed by the lead JCSO investigator. His statement: "top to bottom, dotted every eye, crossed every t." All friends on the trip cooperate with investigators.
The Mississippi State Medical Examiner performs the state autopsy. Simultaneously, the family arranges an independent autopsy in Washington, D.C., funded by Colin Kaepernick, to be conducted by Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr.
Coroner Lynd tells WLOX on the record: the body is Nolan, confirmed by dental records.
Ashlee Cole, Warren's mother and a sitting judge, posts on Facebook. Key points: Warren last saw Nolan at approximately 3:00 PM. The boats left at 4:30 PM due to the bilge emergency. Nolan chose to stay. Warren cooperated fully with JCSO from the beginning.
The Wells family retains civil rights attorney Ben Crump and co-counsel Eric Hertz to represent them as the death investigation continues. Crump tells reporters he has not spoken to the young men who were traveling with Nolan because they have all obtained legal representation.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Department acknowledges the social media speculation in a statement, saying investigators are working to establish facts through "eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, and other reliable information."
JCSO specifically requests original, unedited photos and videos taken on July 4th, "particularly those depicting alleged altercations or containing images of, or believed to include Nolan Wells." Authorities confirm they are also investigating online reports of an alleged altercation on the island that day.
A video recorded near Horn Island on July 4 and widely circulated after Nolan's death captures someone yelling as if in a heated argument. One of Nolan's friends says it was not Nolan's voice. Tracestin later tells Rolling Stone: "In that video, you hear somebody yelling—that is me."
Sheriff Ledbetter tells CNN affiliate WXXV: "Right now, I know time is of the essence, but folks want answers ten minutes ago, and unfortunately, that takes time to get the accurate information …It's gonna take a lot of hard work."
JCSO Capt. Kristen Johnson requests GPS file downloads from MDMR Capt. Freeman. Officer Smith is assigned to download data from both vessels.
Smith visits at his Ocean Springs residence. Permission signed. The Tideline (MI1295CB) is in a boat lift on the north side of the property. Smith downloads MI1295CB.ADM—waypoints only.
Smith visits Jerry Adkerson, Wyatt's maternal grandfather, and Jennifer Pyron-Adkerson, Wyatt's mother, at their Biloxi residence. Permission signed. The Triton (MI4088BU) is in the driveway. Smith downloads MI4088BU.ADM—waypoints, tracks, and routes.
Smith makes working copies of both ADM files and opens them in Garmin Home Port.
The Triton's file is the complete record. It will reconstruct the vessel's full movements on July 4th.
Smith converts the Triton's ADM file to GPX, loads into Google Earth, and produces a PowerPoint with times and routes over satellite imagery. The complete GPS timeline:
Source: MDMR Officer Shay Smith supplemental narrative · MI4088BU GPS Extraction Summary
The Wells family holds a press conference. Christine tells reporters that the sheriff's earlier "no foul play" statement gave the family pause: "I do absolutely respect law enforcement, but the accidental drowning thing, it made both me and his father uncomfortable. Why are we so quick to rush to this?"
Crump says the independent autopsy was sought because the case "is not adding up." He confirms Nolan's body was flown from Mississippi to Washington, D.C. for an independent examination by a doctor with no ties to Mississippi law enforcement. Results are expected "very soon."
The Wells family, attorney Ben Crump, and co-counsel Eric Hertz meet with District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath. The family agrees to a mutual inspection of Nolan's phone. Crump: the case will go to a grand jury after the JCSO investigation concludes.
Press conference at the Jackson County Courthouse.
Nolan's funeral was held at the Center Pointe Church. Sheriff Ledbetter confirms the FBI is assisting with digital evidence analysis. More than 60 witnesses have been interviewed.
Death threats have been reported by Ashlee Cole and Tracestin. The FBI is working to address the interstate threats.
Filmmaker Tyler Perry covers Nolan's funeral expenses. Colin Kaepernick funded the independent autopsy. Christine describes the gathering as a "home going celebration." She added, "He would not want us to be sitting around crying and eating, so what we are going to do is kind of have a party to celebrate him."
At the NAACP National Convention in Chicago, Crump presents the preliminary findings of the independent autopsy byDr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr. (RAM Consulting LLC, dated July 19):
The organs removed in the first autopsy prevent direct assessment of airway, lungs, and stomach contents. Toxicology was not performed in the second autopsy; original results remain pending.
District Attorney McIlrath confirms the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's autopsy report will be withheld until grand jury review—standard procedure for all unnatural or suspicious deaths in Jackson County.
Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, of Sacramento, CA, is arrested and charged federally with interstate transmission of a threatening communication. FBI Safe Streets Task Force agents traced him through email IP addresses and a Facebook profile linked to the username "yaeyae962," which was used to send graphic death threats to Ashlee Cole, Warren Hudson's mother and a sitting Mississippi chancery judge.
Among the messages cited in the charging document: "There will be a package coming to your guys office…Blood. So much blood everywhere…Not even the FBI can stop this." Other messages threatened that Cole's sons "are going to be strangled." Dumarce is a registered sex offender in California; he was released from a California prison in 2023.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
All filings in the Nolan Wells federal case
Michelle Francine Edwards, of Cincinnati, OH, is charged with phoning bomb threats to two Mississippi government offices in the days following Nolan's death. Edwards and Dumarce are among multiple people accused of sending threats to the Cole family and Mississippi officials in the wake of the case.
The Jackson County Chancery Court issues subpoenas to five companies at the request of Christine Wonsley: Life360, Snap, Meta Platforms, TikTok, and WhatsApp. Each company is required to turn over all records, data, and documents related to Nolan's accounts within 21 days.
The subpoenas stem from claims that social media posts were altered or deleted in the days after Nolan was found dead.
Warren Hudson and Jax Pitalo launch a GiveSendGo campaign to cover legal fees for anticipated wrongful death and defamation lawsuits. Morgan Seymour, who appeared in the widely circulated boat photo with Nolan, is later added as a beneficiary.
Dr. Benjamin Hudson states the fund's dual goals: defend against wrongful death actions filed by Crump's team, and sue for defamation against "social media influencers, news outlets, and local provocateurs." He adds the effort is "not about silencing legitimate discussion" but "drawing a line against defamation, targeted harassment, threats of violence, doxing, intimidation, and coordinated campaigns that destroy lives before the facts are known."
Detailed dual-narrative timeline with exhibits and sources