What Happened to Nolan Wells: Untangling the Investigation Into the 18-Year-Old’s Death

On July 22, Crump released findings of an autopsy performed July 10 by pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell, president of the National Medical Association, which left cause and manner of death “undetermined—pending investigation.” The postmortem, which former NFL star Colin Kaepernick helped finance, did not include a toxicology report.

Certain procedures couldn’t be completed because the Jackson County coroner had “rightfully removed and dissected” Wells’ organs, including his lungs, Crump said at a news conference. His “throat structures” were also not with the body when it was transported from Mississippi to Washington, D.C., for the independent autopsy.

Mitchell noted in the report that he could not determine how Wells ended up in the water or whether he was conscious when he did. The pathologist observed red discoloration in the soft tissue at the back of Wells’ head in the occipital region, but found no fractures or deep-tissue injuries to his body.

Wells’ condition when he entered the water was the “crux of the matter,” Crump added. “It would be of utmost importance to be able to determine a cause and manner of death.”