Three Black families stood together Thursday (July 30) with one shared message: They are still searching for answers after the deaths of their 18-year-old sons.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump was joined by the families of Nolan Wells, Daniel Erving and Tyler Smith during a press conference at the National Urban League's annual conference in Nashville, where each family spoke about its pursuit of transparency and accountability.
Crump noted that the three teenagers died within roughly three months of one another under different circumstances, but said their families have been united by the same goal — learning the truth about what happened to their sons.
Nolan Wells Investigation Expands
Much of Thursday's update focused on Wells, whose death remains under investigation after he disappeared during a July 4 boating trip to Horn Island off Mississippi's Gulf Coast.
Crump announced that his legal team has obtained the full audio from the Sea Tow call placed by one of the teens aboard the boat and has hired forensic audio engineers to analyze the recording.
"We're working with expert audio engineers to review the entire call," Crump said.
The legal team has also retained oceanic engineering experts to examine how Wells' body was ultimately recovered near the northwestern tip of Horn Island after disappearing two days earlier. "We want to know how is that possible with the oceanic tides," Crump said. "You've got low tides and high tides... so it's not adding up."
Crump additionally said board-certified forensic pathologist Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., who performed the family's independent autopsy, is seeking additional evidence, including Wells' throat and photographs taken closer to the time his body was recovered, to continue his examination.
Earlier this month, Mitchell concluded that Wells' cause and manner of death were undetermined pending further investigation, adding that the available evidence was insufficient to rule out foul play.
Attorney Eric Hertz said the family's legal team is continuing discussions with Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath about conducting a joint forensic review of phones connected to the case. Hertz said investigators representing both the county and the Wells family would participate, and the FBI is expected to be present if an agreement is finalized.
"And that is going to show a lot of stuff we have not seen," Hertz said.
The family's attorneys also said a hotline established for the investigation continues to receive more than 100 tips each day. "If there is a time in your life to do the right thing, this is it," senior attorney Liza Park said, encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
Wells' parents made emotional appeals of their own. "We are begging... if anyone knows anything — his friends, strangers — please call the hotline," Christine Wonsley said. "We will not be able to rest until we get answers."
Her husband, Elmore Wonsley, addressed those who were with Nolan the day he disappeared. "If Nolan was really your best friend — for the people who say they were friends — please come forward and tell us what you know," he said. "All we want to know is the truth. We're not blaming anyone, we just want the truth."
Crump also condemned the harassment the family has faced while seeking answers, including negative online reviews targeting Christine Wonsley at her workplace.
"Christine has been a nurse for years, and she hasn't ever gotten negative reviews, but since she's been advocating for her son... sick people have been going on her company's website giving her negative reviews," Crump said. "They are just sick, evil people who would attack this mother and father for simply saying, 'We want to know what happened to our child.'"
Daniel Erving's Family Continues Seeking Answers
Crump also provided an update on the case of Daniel Erving, an 18-year-old who disappeared after visiting Lake Ray Hubbard near Rowlett, Texas, with two friends on April 13.
Erving's body was recovered four days later, and authorities ruled his death an accidental drowning. His family, however, continues to dispute that conclusion and says key evidence was mishandled in the hours after he disappeared.
During Thursday's press conference, Crump said Erving's friends discarded his cellphone and clothing and deleted text messages following his disappearance. Two teens have since been charged with tampering with physical evidence in connection with the investigation — 19-year-old Lucas Roper and a 16-year-old juvenile, according to multiple reports.
Erving's family said it remains committed to uncovering exactly what happened in the hours leading up to his death and continues to call for a full and transparent investigation.
Tyler Smith's Family Disputes Official Findings
The press conference also highlighted the case of Tyler Smith, another 18-year-old who died from a gunshot wound in Lexington, Kentucky, on July 4.
Police have described the shooting as accidental and self-inflicted, but Smith's family disputes that conclusion and continues calling for additional scrutiny of the investigation.
Family members spoke Thursday about the challenges of navigating grief while continuing to push for answers they say have yet to come.
A Shared Call For Transparency
Although the three investigations involve different circumstances and remain separate cases, Crump said bringing the families together was intentional.
Each family, he said, is asking for the same thing: a thorough, transparent investigation and the opportunity to learn what happened to their loved one.
For the Wells family, that pursuit continues as the Jackson County Sheriff's Department investigates Nolan's death. The official autopsy has not been released publicly, and Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath has said the findings, along with other evidence, will remain sealed until they are presented to a grand jury.
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