Nolan Wells investigation expands as FBI probes reported threats
TheGrio...
Friends of Nolan Wells and others connected to the case say they’ve faced harassment and death threats as the search for answers continues.
The search for answers surrounding Nolan Wells’ death after a Fourth of July boat day continues. And this week, the FBI announced that will be joining the investigation.
While the FBI has assisted with certain aspects of the investigation in which federal tools and partnerships proved valuable to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO), the JCSO is leading and will continue to lead,” FBI Jackson said in a statement to WLBT. “From day one, we have been supporting Jackson County as they’ve worked to gather information and find answers for the Wells Family and the community.”
“At the federal level, the FBI has been working to address interstate threats that were received by individuals related to this matter, but these efforts are in parallel with Jackson County’s independent investigation,” the statement continued.
Though the agency has not disclosed details about the alleged threats, individuals linked to Wells have reported receiving threats. His friend Tracestin Shepherd, told Good Morning America that he and others have received threats online as Wells’ case garnered national attention.
“We did no wrong here, and we don’t understand how we’re getting so much hate behind it,” Shepherd said. We all cared about and loved Nolan, and nobody wanted to see him die.”
Similarly, Jackson County Chancery Judge Ashlee Cole, the stepmother of one of the three boys who was reported to be on the boat with Wells, revealed on Facebook that she and her family have received waves of death threats.
“We realize that the truth will not stop the calls for the death of our small children,” she wrote on July 9th, announcing her family’s decision not to speak to the press and willingness to speak with Wells’ family and attorney. We will provide them with all the information known to us so their family can rest and properly mourn. We also want to know what happened to Nolan. We will do everything within our power to assist Nolan’s family in their quest for answers.”
As investigators continue to comb through conflicting accounts of what happened, Wells’ family attorney Ben Crump says that his team plans to collaborate with the Jackson County District Attorney’s office to examine cellphone evidence, with plans to present the case in front of a grand jury.
We are trying desperately to figure it out, and we don’t profess to have all the answers, but we’re trying. And we are going to get to the truth,” Crump said. “The hope is that when this is presented to the grand jury, all relevant witnesses and evidence will be presented to them, so that we can have a fair and impartial investigation.”