Nolan Wells’ funeral to be held Monday in Mississippi - NBC News

What the report says

NBC News reported that hundreds of mourners gathered Monday at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, for the funeral of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old whose death after a Fourth of July boating trip has drawn national attention and calls for more information. Wells was remembered by family members as kind, steadying and deeply loved. His mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, thanked God for the years she had with him, while his father, Elmore Wonsley, said he was proud of the example Nolan set for his younger brothers.

The service drew many of Wells’ Ocean Springs High School football teammates, with mourners wearing black and blue in recognition of the school team’s colors at the family’s request. The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy, and family attorney Ben Crump called on anyone with knowledge of the case to come forward. According to NBC, Sharpton announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, and said Tyler Perry, who paid for the funeral, would also offer $50,000. Spike Lee and Terrell Owens attended the service.

Wells went to Horn Island, off Mississippi’s coast, with friends on July 4. NBC reported that the group returned to the mainland later that day and told police Wells had chosen to stay behind and planned to get another ride. His mother reported him missing around midnight after he did not come home. A U.S. park ranger found his body on the island’s northwest shore on July 6.

Officials have not publicly released an autopsy report, and NBC reported that it remains unclear how Wells died. Crump and Wells’ parents have said they are conducting their own inquiry and arranged an independent autopsy, which Crump said was paid for by Colin Kaepernick.