July 4 boat trip, an 18-year-old's death and a family's search for answers in the Deep South

The July 4 boat trip death of an 18-year-old in Mississippi’s Gulf Coast underscores a search for answers amid conflicting accounts and public mistrust. Nolan Xavier Wells took a boat trip off Horn Island, near Mississippi’s coast and close to the Alabama line, to celebrate Independence Day. He was last seen alive on July 4 and was found dead early Monday along the shore about 7 miles (11.2 km) off the coast, roughly two days later. His parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, told reporters in New York City that key details are missing and that they doubt claims that Wells told friends to leave him behind and may have drowned accidentally despite being an elite swimmer. They sought a thorough, transparent investigation and said they commissioned an independent autopsy in Washington, D.C., with results that could take weeks. Lawyers also plan forensic review of potentially deleted cellphone messages and urged witnesses to submit any video. Ben Crump, Rev. Al Sharpton, and others, including Tyler Perry, Colin Kaepernick, and Spike Lee, supported the family’s efforts.