The best friend of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old whose mysterious death on Horn Island on July 4 has gripped the nation, has explained why he did not attend his funeral on Monday.
Warren Hudson, who was among the group on the Fourth of July boat trip to Horn Island before Wells disappeared, spoke to The Officer Tatum Show in an interview that aired this week.
He said he made the painful decision to stay away from the funeral primarily to avoid drawing attention away from Nolan and his grieving family, but also because he had received thousands of death threats and did not feel safe attending such a public gathering.
Hudson’s mother Ashlee Cole, a Jackson County judge, has previously shared screenshots of some of the messages she and her son have received.
One read: “Ima wrap this kid in a blanket wrapped with bob wire an throw him in a lake.”
Another said simply: “Open up your insides.”
Hudson accused of Wells’ death by netizens
Hudson has been at the center of online speculation about Wells’ death since the story broke, with social media users accusing him of being responsible. He has denied any involvement.
“It’s a sick world we’re living in,” he told the New York Post.
“It’s terrible. Nolan was my best friend. There’s no facts out, just a lot of rumors. That’s just how the internet is today.”
In the Officer Tatum interview, Hudson was asked directly whether he had anything to do with Wells’ death. He said no. He also denied accusations that he deleted messages from Wells’ phone, a claim Wells’ family had raised publicly after saying the phone’s location history appeared inconsistent with what friends had reported.
Hudson has also revealed a new detail, claiming that Wells actively refused his group’s pleas to leave Horn Island with them, choosing to stay behind.
Where the investigation stands
Wells’ body was found in the water near the island’s northwest end on July 6, two days after he disappeared. No cause of death has been officially confirmed. The state of Mississippi’s autopsy results remain pending.
The independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family, handled by attorney Ben Crump, released preliminary findings on July 22, listing the cause of death as “undetermined pending investigation.”
Al Sharpton and Tyler Perry have each offered $50,000 rewards for information leading to answers about what happened to Wells.
The family continues to conduct its own parallel investigation.
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