INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Oct. 4, 2026) – Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump will join the parents of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Stop AAPI Hate Executive Director Cynthia Choi at a news conference Monday. They will renew the call for a federal investigation into Nolan’s death.
Nolan, a college student from Ocean Springs, Miss., disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip to Horn Island and was found dead two days later. Nolan’s cause and manner of death remain officially undetermined. An independent autopsy by Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr. found unexplained blunt-force injuries to the back of his head.
WHO:
Christine and Elmore Wells-Wonsley, parents of Nolan Wells
Attorney Ben Crump
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.)
Cynthia Choi, Executive Director, Stop AAPI Hate
WHEN:
Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, at noon PT
WHERE:
Center of Hope
9550 S. Crenshaw Blvd.
Inglewood, CA 90305
The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum shared the following statement from Executive Director Christina Baal-Owens:
“How long must parents wait for answers around the death of their son? The family of 18-year-old Nolan Wells has endured an unimaginable loss while still being left without the simple truth about what happened to him. They deserve transparency, accountability, and the truth.
While a Mississippi grand jury declined to bring criminal charges, Nolan’s cause and manner of death remain undetermined. That cannot be where the search for answers ends.
NAPAWF calls on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to act: conduct a thorough, independent review of the circumstances surrounding Nolan’s death, make clear what federal investigative steps have been taken, and ensure that all information that can lawfully be released is made available to his family.
Nolan’s life mattered, and his family deserves answers. We will continue to say his name and make sure he is not forgotten in the pursuit for justice.”
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MEDIA CONTACT:
[email protected]
ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.
