In the first public appearance since the tragic death of Nolan Wells, his close friend Warren Hudson shared new details about the teen’s final hours before he disappeared from Horn Island, Mississippi, on July 4.
Speaking on Brandon Tatum’s podcast, he recalled that the island’s scenes were “covered” by thousands of revelers celebrating Independence Day.
“Everyone is very, very excited for the Fourth of July here. It’s a big thing, it’s a big deal,” he added.
The 18-year-old college football player was last seen around 3 p.m. on Horn Island, a barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Two days later, his body was found and the investigation into his death is still ongoing.
According to Hudson, three boats full of people were going to the island, and “miles” of boats could be seen around the place. He confirmed that most of their group, including Wells, had been drinking alcohol, but that Wells seemed “perfectly fine” when they met him.
Hudson said the two men spent the night together at a friend’s house before joining the larger group. He also explained that they were very close and their friendship was “very close,” noting that they became close in eighth grade.
A separate autopsy conducted recently showed there may have been an injury Wells suffered to the back of the head. Dr. Roger J. Mitchell, who performed the autopsy, said he could not rule out murder but could not establish the cause of death.
Wells’ family publicly questioned why he voluntarily separated himself from his friends. Hudson didn’t explain how this split happened, as he plans another part of the interview.
