Authorities said the body matched the description of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells, who vanished on Horn Island.
JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. — A body believed to be 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells was found Monday morning near Horn Island, two days after the Ocean Springs teen vanished during a Fourth of July trip with friends, authorities said.
The discovery ended a search that drew law enforcement agencies, marine crews, volunteers and anxious family members to the barrier island off the Mississippi Coast. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said the body matched Wells’ description, while Coroner Bruce Lynd said DNA testing would be used for official confirmation. The cause and manner of death had not been released Monday.
Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday on Horn Island, where he had traveled by boat with friends during the holiday weekend. Authorities said he was wearing blue swim trunks, sunglasses and no shirt when he disappeared. Early public alerts described him as an 18-year-old Black male, about 6 feet 1 inch tall and 180 pounds. His family and officials spent the weekend asking anyone who had been near the island to share photos, videos or information that could help track his movements.
The body was found around 8:45 a.m. Monday by a park ranger on the northwest end of Horn Island, officials said. Ledbetter said the remains were found in the water and matched the description of the missing teen. Lynd said there was “no reason to believe it is not him,” though he said formal identification would come through DNA testing. Wells’ family also posted publicly that he had been found and asked for time to grieve.
The search included the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Harrison County officials, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard, Gulf Islands National Seashore personnel and volunteer searchers. The United Cajun Navy also joined the effort, helping coordinate people with boats, pilots and drones. Searchers worked around Horn Island and nearby waters while family members gathered near staging areas on the mainland.
Horn Island is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and sits south of the Mississippi mainland. The long, narrow barrier island is popular with boaters, especially during holiday weekends, but it has no road access and can be difficult to search. Its beaches, marshes and surrounding currents can complicate rescue operations, especially when a missing person does not have a phone or other tracking device.
Family members said Wells did not have his phone with him when he disappeared. His mother, Christine Wonsley, later said she and Wells’ father had the phone, clearing up questions about possible location signals. Relatives shared photos from the day and asked the public to help identify anyone who may have seen him before he went missing. They also warned against unauthorized fundraising efforts using his name.
Wells was a former Ocean Springs High School football player and had been listed as a wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College. Friends and former classmates described him as well-known and loved in the Ocean Springs community. Some gathered near the search area Monday as word spread that a body had been recovered. Family members remembered him as a bright presence and thanked the public for the support shown during the search.
Investigators had not released a full timeline of what happened after Wells was last seen. Authorities also had not announced whether they suspect foul play. The coroner’s office will handle identification and determine the cause of death, while law enforcement continues reviewing witness accounts and any video or photos from the island that day.
The search was called off after the body was found. The next official step is confirmation by the coroner’s office, followed by any investigative update from Jackson County authorities.
Author note: Last updated July 6, 2026.