Governor blames activists in Nolan Wells case for ‘stoking division,’ official says FBI probing threats
MISSISSIPPI – The FBI is investigating threats against the people who were with Nolan Wells in the hours before the Mississippi teen vanished and was found dead, one of the state's top law enforcement officials says.
Wells, 18, disappeared July 4 after joining friends on a boat trip to Horn Island, a barrier island off Mississippi's Gulf Coast. Search crews scoured the area for two days before a National Park Service ranger found his remains on the island's northwestern tip on July 6.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said Wednesday that the FBI is investigating threats made against public officials, the people who were with Wells before he vanished and their families. Tindell made the comments on Mississippi Public Broadcasting's "The Sit Down" hosted by Magnolia Tribune Founder and CEO Russ Latino.
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"I'm sure state law enforcement and, the FBI is going to be very interested in investigating, so, you know, when you make those types of threats against public officials, against possible witnesses, and against, the, you know, the folks that are involved in this investigation and the family, then you are also, committing a criminal act, and that's going to be taken very, very seriously," Tindell said.
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Tindell said "false information" shared about Wells' death has incited "rage and emotion" that has led to a higher level of calls coming into his office, some of which are "direct threats." Tindell said he believes Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, has also received threats.
"I can tell you, the FBI has reached out. They're working in any capacity. They've offered a hand, in this case, to do anything that that's needed from their end. But they're also taking a serious look, at some of these threats that have come across, to public officials, to witnesses to the family, to anybody involved in this case," Tindell said.
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The warning from one of Mississippi's top public safety officials comes as national attention on the case has reached a fever pitch, with Rep. André Carson, D-Ind., accusing officials in Mississippi of not being transparent.
"Not only are [Nolan Wells' family] suffering the unimaginable grief of losing a child, they're not getting the truth, transparency, or accountability. Mississippi officials retained some of Nolan's body parts, so yesterday's independent autopsy leaves more questions unanswered," Carson said.
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As the speculation has grown, Mississippi's top elected officials have begun pushing back publicly.
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Republican Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves told Fox News Digital in a statement that attorney Ben Crump and Al Sharpton are responsible for inciting the threats.
"Ben Crump and Al Sharpton are to blame for the threats. They are stoking division for personal gain. It’s sad to see, but not unexpected. This is how they’ve built their careers," Reeves said. "Jackson County law enforcement, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and the State Medical Examiner are conducting a thorough investigation. I’m confident they will follow the facts of the case, wherever that leads them. The state's top prosecutor is also drawing a hard line."
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Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch told Fox News Digital in a statement that her office will hold accountable anyone who threatens law enforcement working the case.
"I am proud of the professionalism with which our law enforcement, district attorney, and other local leaders are approaching this tragic case. During an open investigation, it is vital to the cause of justice that everyone respect the integrity of the process. Efforts to intimidate, disrupt, or interfere with the work of our law enforcement and prosecutors and threats to their well-being will be taken seriously and we will hold those who make them accountable. A bright young life has been lost and we extend our prayers to his family," Fitch said.
During Wednesday's news conference, Crump revealed that an area of "red discoloration" was found on Wells' head, but said Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed the autopsy, couldn't come to a conclusion on a cause or manner of death "pending further investigation." An official autopsy into Wells' death hasn't been completed, but the revelation from Crump fueled even more speculation.
Wells' friends returned to the mainland that July afternoon without him, but Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter previously said investigators believe Wells chose to stay on the island. It wasn't until later that night that his mother learned he was missing from one of Wells' friends and reported it to authorities.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Crump, Sharpton and the FBI for comment.