Friend Says Nolan Wells Was Not in Viral July 4 Video as Death Threats Mount
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jul 16
Friend Says Nolan Wells Was Not in Viral July 4 Video as Death Threats Mount
3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jul 16
Summary
Tracestin Shepherd told ABC News the voice in a viral Horn Island video was his, not Nolan Wells', and said the clip captured his own fight with a stranger rather than Wells demanding his phone back.
Shepherd said Wells stayed on the island after their boat prepared to leave because of an electrical issue, choosing to return later on another friend's boat after meeting a girl.
18-year-old Wells was found dead Monday in water off Horn Island; Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said drowning is suspected, while an autopsy and the broader investigation remain pending.
Shepherd said he spoke out after he and other friends received death threats and after social media posts, including one reshared by attorney Ben Crump, circulated what he called false claims about the video and a July 5 photo.
Crump, who represents Wells' parents, has said Wells' phone is key evidence and that independent investigators are receiving 50 to 100 calls a day, while the family says it welcomes all accounts as authorities work toward the truth.