CBC Calls On Feds To Review Nolan Wells’ Disappearance & Death

WASHINGTON, DC

Chair Yvette D. Clarke and members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) recently issued a letter to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel urging the U.S. Department of Justice to immediately launch an independent federal review of the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells.

Wells, who was Black, disappeared during a trip to Horn Island in Mississippi on July 4 with a group of white friends. His body was recovered in waters off the island two days later.

“Accordingly, the Congressional Black Caucus requests that the United States Department of Justice immediately undertake an independent federal review of the circumstances surrounding Nolan Wells’ disappearance and death, provide appropriate federal investigative assistance, and determine whether there is a basis for a federal investigation, including under applicable federal civil rights laws.”

In the letter, the CBC raised concerns regarding the lack of transparency and unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of Nolan Wells’ disappearance and death more than one month later. The CBC emphasized that while local authorities in Mississippi have an ongoing investigation, the continued absence of answers warrants additional federal resources and an independent assessment of whether federal involvement is appropriate.

“More than 30 days after his disappearance and death, significant questions remain unanswered about the events of July 4, 2026, and the circumstances that led to his death. The Wells family has been forced to grieve while also seeking basic information about what happened to their son.”

The CBC stressed that federal involvement would not prejudge the facts or outcome of any ongoing investigation, but would help ensure that every appropriate investigative resource and avenue of inquiry is being pursued.

The Congressional Black Caucus requested that the Department of Justice immediately review the matter and provide a written response within seven days regarding the Department’s involvement and the steps it has taken or intends to take.