Warren Hudson, who has described himself as Nolan Wells’ best friend, says he made the painful decision not to attend the 18 year old’s funeral, explaining that he feared his presence would distract from honoring Nolan and put others at risk because of the threats he has received.

Speaking during a new interview on The Officer Tatum Show, Hudson said several factors influenced his decision to stay away from the funeral service held after Nolan was laid to rest.

According to Hudson, his biggest concern was that attention would shift away from Nolan and his grieving family if he attended.

He also said he feared for the safety of both himself and his relatives after receiving what he described as thousands of death threats in the wake of Nolan’s death.

Hudson said the decision was heartbreaking but felt it was the only realistic choice given the circumstances.

“It’s horrible that I had to make that choice,” he said, explaining that his life has changed dramatically since the investigation began.

The interview with host Brandon Tatum has become one of Hudson’s most detailed public accounts of the events leading up to Nolan’s disappearance. Throughout the conversation, he has repeatedly denied having any involvement in his friend’s death while offering his version of what happened on Horn Island.

Hudson previously claimed that Nolan repeatedly declined requests to leave the island after the group’s boat began experiencing mechanical problems.

According to Hudson, one of their friends urgently called out for Nolan to return to the boat, but Nolan insisted he planned to stay behind and ride back to the mainland with someone else.

Hudson also noted that it is common for people visiting Horn Island to arrive on one boat and leave on another, although he acknowledged that members of the group did not want Nolan to remain on the island. He added that everyone in their circle understood the area could be dangerous.

Nolan disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip to Horn Island, located off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. His body was recovered in the water two days later.

While investigators initially indicated they believed Nolan drowned, his parents have continued to question that conclusion. Represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, the family commissioned an independent autopsy after expressing concerns about unanswered questions surrounding the teen’s death.

The independent examination did not determine an official cause or manner of death, leaving both pending further investigation as authorities continue working to establish exactly what happened during Nolan’s final hours.