The sheriff said a plethora of agencies joined the effort. Some of these agencies and groups included the Gulf Islands National Seashore, U.S. Park Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
By Monday morning, July 6, the search resumed with boats back on the water. United Cajun Navy aircraft reportedly took to the air just before 6 a.m., while the last search vessels left shortly before 8 a.m.
Then came the call everyone had been dreading. Around 8:45 a.m., Sheriff Ledbetter confirmed authorities had received a report that a body had been found at the northwestern tip of Horn Island by a U.S. Park Ranger.
After they were asked to come to Lake Mars Boat Launch, Wells’ family was met by Sheriff Ledbetter and Coroner Bruce Lynd. Just after 11 a.m., the family was taken to the coroner’s office in Pascagoula to identify the body.
Coroner Lynd told WLOX News by phone that he “had no reason to believe it wasn’t him,” though he said he would wait for official DNA results before making a formal announcement. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday, July 7.
Just before 1 p.m., Wells’ family confirmed his death on social media. His mother posted that Wells was the person found on Horn Island.
Before the devastating confirmation, Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, had shared photos from July 4 that showed him on a boat with other young men. In the images, Wells appeared shirtless, wearing sunglasses and blue swim trunks, smiling during what looked like a normal summer holiday outing.
At first, the pictures looked like carefree snapshots: bright sky, open water, friends, drinks, and a boat. But after Wells vanished, those images took on a very different weight.
The was immediate, emotional, and full of suspicion. Under the Facebook post, one person wrote, “And that’s why I tell my boys to NEVER be the only one.”
Another commenter chimed in, “Hmmmm…..them friends know something!” A third person added, “This reminds me of the Tamla horsford situation all over again! Only difference she was at a sleepover [sic].”
Others focused on the fact that the pictures showed Wells surrounded by people and out on the water. One comment read, “There’s [sic] other people on the water… someone saw something!!!! 💔.”
Another person wrote, “Let’s not forget about the one taking the pic 😧.” And one eerie reaction simply said, “I immediately got chills.” Of course, those comments were public speculation, not official findings. Still, they showed how deeply the photos unsettled people once Wells’ disappearance became a tragedy.
Nolan was last seen near the western tip of Horn Island, where authorities later said the current is strong. For many following the case, the thought that other people were nearby made the search for answers even more urgent. | Source: Facebook/Christine Wonsley
The SunHerald from Lake Mars Boat Launch that friends gathered by the water after a body matching Wells’ description was found off the western tip of Horn Island. His parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, were too distraught to speak as they spent a second morning waiting for word from rescuers.
Those close to the family offered comfort and hugs while childhood friends remembered the young man they could hardly believe was gone. Wells had been expected to return to Southwest Mississippi Communi
