The family of Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old from Mississippi who was found dead on Horn Island after spending the Fourth of July weekend there with friends, has hired prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump to represent them. Crump, best known for acting for the family of George Floyd, has called on investigators to pursue the case with urgency and transparency, saying the family deserves answers about how the teenager died. The move signals the family's determination to establish the full circumstances of his death, which remain under investigation by police.

Wells was last seen at around 3pm on the Saturday and was reported missing by his mother in the early hours of the Sunday, prompting a two-day search. A park ranger discovered his body on the north-west tip of the island at around 9am on the Monday, and his parents confirmed his identity that afternoon. Police said his friends had left him on the island after he chose to stay behind. His mother, Christine Wonsley, paid tribute on Facebook, describing him as a "special soul" and a "sweet son" who was always willing to uplift others.