Nolan Xavier Wells’ death continues to raise more questions than answers, even after authorities found the 18-year-old college football player near Mississippi’s Horn Island following his disappearance during a Fourth of July boating trip.

Investigators have said they believe Wells likely drowned, but they have not released an official cause or manner of death. While the state medical examiner has completed an autopsy, toxicology results and the final report could still take weeks. His parents, Christine Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, are not convinced by the early drowning theory and have hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump while arranging for an independent autopsy in Washington, D.C.

One of the biggest mysteries is what happened in Wells’ final hours. A video that circulated online reportedly captured an argument on Horn Island shortly before he vanished. Although investigators have not confirmed whether Wells appeared in the footage, Crump claims another recording includes Wells shouting, “Give me my freaking phone,” suggesting he may have been involved in a confrontation before disappearing. Authorities have asked anyone who witnessed an argument or unusual activity that day to contact investigators.

Questions have also centered on Wells’ cellphone. According to his family, the device left the island with his friends even though Wells never returned. His mother reportedly tracked the phone using Life360 before recovering it. Crump has alleged that messages had been deleted before the family got the phone back, raising concerns about what information may have been removed. The phone will first be examined by the family’s independent investigators before being turned over to law enforcement.

Another unanswered question is why Wells reportedly stayed behind when his friends left Horn Island. His friends have said he chose to remain on the island and planned to catch another ride back to the mainland after their boat developed mechanical problems. However, his parents say that decision does not fit his character. They said Wells had always been taught to stay with the group he traveled with, making it difficult for them to believe he would willingly separate from his friends.

Conflicting accounts have only deepened the uncertainty. A woman who reportedly spoke with Wells around 3 p.m. claimed he told her he was heading back to his boat, while his friends have maintained that he intended to stay behind. Those differing versions have become another focus of the family’s questions as they try to reconstruct his final movements.

The family is also struggling to understand why everyone else left the island without making sure Wells had a confirmed ride home. Friends said their boat was taking on water because of a malfunctioning bilge pump, forcing them to leave. But Horn Island is remote, undeveloped, and only accessible by boat, leaving Wells without an easy way back to shore. His disappearance was not reported until several hours later.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says the investigation remains active and continues to ask anyone who was on Horn Island on July 4, or who has photos, videos, or firsthand information, to come forward. So far, no suspects have been identified, and investigators have not accused any of Wells’ friends of wrongdoing.