Nolan Wells Update: Friend’s Mother Says Family Received Death Threats Amid Questions Over Missing Snapchat Posts

The mother of one of Nolan Wells’ closest friends says her family has received death threats and relentless online harassment as authorities continue investigating the death of the 18-year-old Mississippi college football player, whose body was found days after he disappeared during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island.

The latest development comes as Wells’ parents continue pressing investigators for answers, saying they have serious concerns about the timeline of their son’s disappearance and the accounts provided by those who were with him before he vanished. Wells’ mother publicly questioned the final account given by her son’s friends, saying she found no photos or videos from the Fourth of July trip on his Snapchat despite the platform’s 24-hour retention window, raising fresh questions about the timeline of his disappearance.

Authorities have not determined an official cause or manner of death, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says the investigation remains active.

Friend’s mother says family has become a target of threats. Speaking to WLOX, Christine Cole, whose son Warren was among the friends with Wells on Horn Island, said her family has been subjected to harassment fueled by speculation circulating online.

“I’ve received death threats. People have threatened to burn my house down. They’ve threatened to kill my children,” Cole told WLOX.

Cole said her son has fully cooperated with investigators and voluntarily gave a statement to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

She also stressed that neither she nor her husband was on Horn Island that day and urged the public to allow investigators to determine what happened instead of spreading unverified accusations on social media.

Her comments come after days of growing online speculation surrounding the case, prompting authorities to repeatedly ask the public to refrain from spreading misinformation and instead submit any photos, videos or firsthand information from Horn Island that could help investigators establish an accurate timeline.

Wells’ parents continue raising questions

The harassment claims surfaced a day after Nolan Wells’ parents, Christine Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley, appeared alongside civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump and Rev. Al Sharpton to call for what they described as a thorough, transparent investigation into their son’s death.

“We just want honesty and transparency. We want a thorough investigation,” Christine Wonsley said during an interview with ABC News. “We just want answers.”

The family has also publicly challenged parts of the timeline shared by Nolan’s friends. According to his parents, they do not believe Wells would have voluntarily stayed behind on Horn Island after the rest of the group left.

Christine Wonsley has also said she became concerned after reviewing her son’s phone and discovering deleted messages, prompting the family to seek an independent investigation.

While they have emphasized that they are not accusing anyone of causing Nolan’s death, they want investigators to reconcile conflicting accounts and determine exactly what happened during his final hours.

Crump said his legal team has arranged for an independent autopsy after raising concerns about unanswered questions in the case.

The official state autopsy remains pending, and toxicology results have not yet been released.

Investigation remains active

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Wells disappeared during a July 4 outing to Horn Island with a group of friends.

He was last seen around 3 p.m., and his mother reported him missing later that evening after he failed to return home.

A multi-agency search involving the U.S. Coast Guard, National Park Service, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and volunteer rescue teams continued through the weekend before a National Park Service ranger discovered Wells’ body on July 6 near Horn Island.

Investigators have said they are reviewing witness statements, physical evidence and digital evidence while urging anyone who visited Horn Island on July 4 to provide unedited photos or videos that could help establish a complete timeline of the day’s events.

Officials have not announced whether foul play is suspected, and no official cause or manner of death has been released.

As the investigation continues, both authorities and those closest to the case have urged the public to avoid spreading unverified claims online, warning that speculation has complicated an already painful investigation for multiple families.