Friends of Nolan Wells Speak Out Months After His Death

Recently, three friends of Nolan Wells, the college student who vanished during a Fourth of July celebration on a Mississippi island and was later found deceased, have initiated a defamation lawsuit against former NFL player Terrell Owens. The friends—Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour—assert that Owens made false statements about them on social media, particularly accusing them of being involved in wrongdoing.

The federal lawsuit was filed by the fathers of these friends on their sons’ behalf, as all three are still minors under Mississippi law. They were part of a larger group that celebrated on Horn Island with 18-year-old Wells. The trio maintains that Wells didn’t return to the mainland because he was engaged in conversation with a girl, although his family disputes this account. Unfortunately, Wells’ body was discovered two days later in the waters near the island.

Owens, in a post made on X, expressed a demand for their arrest, which the friends claim contributed to an inaccurate narrative surrounding their involvement in Wells’ death. This post has led to public scrutiny, as images of the friends with Wells circulated widely online, often viewed through a racial lens, prompting suspicions connected to their friendship.

Notably, Owens’ post referred to a social media video by a content creator that accused the three of deleting relevant messages from Wells’ phone after he died, even suggesting they may have had a role in his death. However, an investigation by digital forensics expert Andrew Garrett revealed that there was no access to Wells’ phone during the critical time frame before his parents accessed it, which casts doubt on the accusations against his friends.

In the defamation lawsuit, the friends argue that Owens portrayed them in a false light—implying they were murderers involved in a coverup—when they had done nothing wrong. They emphasize that no evidence existed to warrant any police action against them, as stated in the legal filing.

On September 22, a grand jury determined that Wells’ death was consistent with drowning and found no basis for recommending charges against anyone involved. However, there were mentions in the report of bruising on Wells’ head, with family-appointed forensic pathologist Roger A. Mitchell Jr. classifying the circumstances of his death as “undetermined.” He mentioned that while Wells didn’t seem excessively intoxicated to swim, there were indeed injuries to his head and body prior to his death.

Following these developments, Wells’ family has called for a federal investigation into his death, stating concerns regarding the circumstances leading up to and following his demise. They insist that since his body was found on federal land, a comprehensive inquiry by the FBI is warranted.