Horn Island visitors reveal dangerous water conditions as new eyewitness accounts emerge in Nolan Wells investigation

As the investigation into the death of Mississippi football player Nolan Wells continues, people who spent the Fourth of July on Horn Island are speaking out about what they witnessed that day, including the powerful currents that developed near the area where the 18 year old was later found.

Wells, a community college football player, disappeared after spending July 4 with friends on Horn Island. His body was discovered on the island’s northwestern tip two days later as local authorities and the FBI continued investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

Several longtime visitors told NBC News that the island was far busier than usual during the holiday weekend.

Melissa Miller, who has vacationed at Horn Island for the past decade, said she noticed an unusually large number of young people gathering alongside families. Although she never saw Wells during the celebration, she recalled that the atmosphere appeared peaceful throughout the day.

“Everyone seemed to be having a good time,” Miller said.

She explained that her boat had been anchored near the same section of the island where Wells’ body was eventually discovered. While rough water is common around Horn Island, she said the northwestern tip can become especially dangerous.

“We had to rope our floats that we float in. We had to tie it to the boat on the Fourth that day to keep us from getting sucked into the Gulf,” she recalled.

Another person familiar with the area, an anonymous charter boat captain, also warned that conditions can change rapidly. He said the water remained calm for much of the afternoon before the current became noticeably stronger around 4 p.m., making it difficult even for experienced boaters.

“I know people that have grown up out there that have died out there,” he told NBC News. “It’ll humble you very quick. I don’t care what kind of shape you’re in. Those currents can get you, and before you even realize you’re in trouble, you’re gone.”

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and several of Wells’ friends, the teenager stayed behind on the island after reportedly meeting a young woman while the rest of the group returned to the mainland.

Wells’ parents, however, have questioned that account, saying it does not fit their son’s character and insisting there are still unanswered questions about his final hours.

Authorities have previously said there were no immediate signs of foul play and that the death appeared consistent with drowning. However, the official autopsy, an independent autopsy requested by the family, and toxicology testing have not yet been completed.

While investigators await those results, the medical examiner has declined to comment further.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Wells’ family, has continued to challenge the current timeline, questioning how no one at the crowded gathering reportedly saw the teenager in distress.

“If he’s drowning, nobody sees him drown? Nobody offers assistance? Nobody tries to help?” Crump asked.

Wells’ father, Elmore Wonsley, also said he does not believe his son would have willingly remained alone on the island.

“I know he wouldn’t do that. I preached that to him every day… You’re lying to me,” he said in an interview with TheGrio.

At the same time, some witnesses said leaving phones on boats was common because many people spent hours swimming or standing in shallow water.

Wells’ friend Tracestin Shepherd told ABC News that most of the group had little reason to use their phones during the holiday gathering.

“All our friends are out there. Who are we communicating with?” Shepherd said, adding that he saw Wells leave his phone on the dashboard of a boat before heading into the water.

Meanwhile, United Cajun Navy spokesperson Brian Trascher believes investigators still need to determine exactly what happened after Wells separated from his friends.

“We have to close the gap between when his friends said goodbye… to the time he went into the water, because they should be able to pinpoint, and it’s weird that they can’t,” Trascher previously told PEOPLE.

With multiple investigations still underway and key forensic results pending, Nolan Wells’ family continues to seek answers about what happened during the final hours before the teenager’s death.