Supporters of Nolan Wells are participating in a coordinated social media blackout Wednesday (September 30), asking people to change their profile pictures and share his name as his family continues seeking answers about his death.
The “Blackout for Nolan Wells” campaign asks participants to use hashtags including #BlackoutForNolan, #NolanWells and #SayHisName.
The campaign post lists children’s educator Ms. Rachel, Wells’ mother Christine Wonsley, the King Center and chef and lifestyle influencer Manouschka Guerrier, among its collaborators.
The campaign describes the blackout as an act of remembrance and solidarity, urging supporters to make sure Wells does not become “another name we scroll past and forget.”
Wells, an 18-year-old Black college student, disappeared during a July 4 trip to Horn Island off the Mississippi coast. His body was found two days later.
A Mississippi grand jury declined to bring criminal charges in connection with Wells’ death on September 21. His family and attorneys have continued to question aspects of the investigation.
As BIN reported Friday (September 25), Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath disputed claims that someone physically accessed Wells’ cellphone after his last known use. McIlrath said the information provided to her office did not support that claim.
BIN reported Tuesday (September 29) that digital forensics expert Andrew Garrett clarified that deleted Snapchat messages found on Wells’ phone did not establish that someone had accessed the device. The clarification followed a dispute between Wells’ legal team and McIlrath over what the cellphone data showed.
The blackout campaign comes as Wells’ family continues to seek answers about his death.
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