Phone Deleted in 1-Minute Motion: State Autopsy Reveals No Water in Nolan Wells' Lungs and 1 Million Data Points Up for Debate

One of the most significant motions filed during this session was the deletion of data from the phone. Garrett stated that things were deleted from the phone from the time he last held it until the time his parents got possession of it. While Garrett could not speak to the psychological intent behind the deletions, the digital footprint suggests a deliberate action was taken on the day he disappeared.

The forensic examination uncovered more than 1 million artifacts of data on the device. This massive dataset includes a GPS tracking video of the phone’s movements synced with messages and calls. The examination was able to retrieve all messages from group chats Nolan was in until the phone examination began. This includes conversations that took place even after his death.

Garrett noted that Nolan used Snapchat and Instagram to communicate 90 percent of the time instead of traditional text messages. This usage pattern offers insight into the digital voting bloc he belonged to. In these conversations, Nolan’s friends discussed a concern that people on Horn Island can be racist. Ben Crump highlighted this as an interesting point, noting that people across America were already concerned about the racial history of Mississippi.

The group chats revealed specific dialogue about the environment on the island. One conversation read aloud by Crump discussed the presence of sketchy looking men in boats behind them. The friends debated whether these men were felons. They noted the presence of both a Black and a white man. The conversation included a specific detail where one friend mentioned their dad had to walk a lady to her boat because she knew one of the men and a sheriff warned that they would not want to be left alone with them if they were drunk.

Both the state and independent autopsies listed Nolan’s cause and manner of death as undetermined. The grand jury report noted that accidental drowning is consistent with the evidence. However, the evidence also does not rule it out. This leaves the outcome of the case in a procedural limbo.

Tracestin Shepherd, a friend of Wells, said he is waiting for the investigation to run its course before drawing conclusions. Liza Park, an attorney on Crump’s team, emphasized that the state autopsy report details two 2-inch contusions or bruises on the back of Nolan’s head. This aligns with what Dr. Roger Mitchell found during his independent autopsy.

Park stressed that Dr. Mitchell found no white blood cells. This finding means the injury to Nolan’s head happened within a short period of time before he died. The independent report notes that the larynx and hyoid bone are without hemorrhages and fractures. The interior spine is described as unremarkable. The report states there were no other external or internal injuries and no internal organ abnormalities contributing to death.

The toxicology results included in the report are equally revealing. The chest decomposition fluid included 270 mg/dL of ethanol. Cannabinoids, nicotine, cotinine and caffeine were all presumptive positive. However, confirmatory testing did not reveal cannabinoids in the decomposition fluid.

Park clarified the physical state of the body. There was no fluid or debris in his airways. His GI tract was unremarkable and his stomach was empty. She explained that this means there is no water in the stomach, no water in the lungs, and no water in the throat. This finding directly contradicts the theory of drowning as the primary cause.

The procedural battle for access to the phone became a point of controversy. Initially, Jackson County investigators, Nolan’s parents and attorneys were set to inspect the phone together. An attorney working with Crump’s team stated the family never inspected the phone with officials. The disagreement stemmed from the terms the district attorney’s office requested. The terms required the family to drop off the phone and leave it with law enforcement.

Park stressed that Nolan’s parents never intentionally kept the phone away from the DA or law enforcement. The family agreed to do the joint investigation at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. However, they were unaware that only law enforcement would be allowed inside the lab until later. They were given a 48-hour notice to turn the phone in for inspection, but the terms still had not been agreed upon.

Angela Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath posted a 15-minute video to Facebook Monday night after the grand jury returned a no true bill once the state autopsy report was finished. She stated she reached out to Nolan’s mother directly. However, Crump said they were told they could get the autopsy when the DA released the grand jury report. This was news to the family.

Crump and his team communicated back and forth with the office. They ultimately did not receive the autopsy report until 6:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Park read letters between the DA and a Mississippi-based attorney working with Nolan’s family. These letters detailed the confusion about what was needed to request and obtain the report.

We do not know what happened to Nolan Wells, Crump said at the end of the press conference. We are not accusing anybody of anything nefarious. Even with the phone extraction, Mr. Garrett says he does not know the intent of any of that stuff. But what we are saying is that if you care anything about Nolan Wells, if you know anything, come forward. If you care anything about Nolan Wells, let us focus on what killed Nolan Wells. Let us not focus on the distractions. It is beneath our shared humanity.

First reported by WLOX.

First reported by r/news.