Tyler Perry and the Rev. Al Sharpton are offering a combined $100,000 reward for information that could help determine what happened to 18-year-old college football player Nolan Wells.
Sharpton announced an initial $50,000 reward while delivering the eulogy at Wells’ funeral in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on Monday, July 20. The money was offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Moments later, Sharpton told mourners that Perry had texted him and offered to match the amount. The filmmaker had already helped cover the cost of Wells’ funeral after contacting his family earlier in July.
Wells disappeared during a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island with friends. His body was discovered near the northwest end of the Mississippi barrier island two days later, but authorities have not announced an official cause of death or established publicly that a crime occurred.
Perry Doubled the Reward During Wells’ Funeral
Sharpton announced the reward during the service at Center Pointe Church, urging anyone with firsthand information to contact civil rights attorney Ben Crump’s office or the National Action Network.
“He was not on that island by himself. Somebody saw something and knows something,” Sharpton said, according to People. “Stand up and tell the truth. Whatever it is, good or bad. We’re putting up $100,000 for anybody that’ll come forward,” Sharpton said. “We just want the truth. That’s all. We just want the truth, and we want to thank Tyler Perry.”
Perry Had Already Helped Pay for the Funeral
Perry contacted Wells’ family after learning about the case and offered to help with funeral expenses. In a statement previously provided to People, he connected their search for answers to unresolved deaths involving people he has known or supported.
“As a son of the South and a person who to this day questions the death of my nephew in a Louisiana prison, and as an advocate who has been fighting for years to get answers for Marcia Williams about what happened to her son Terrance in Florida, I know what it’s like to not have the answers that loved ones so desperately need,” Perry said.
“The agony is debilitating,” he continued. “It is my hope that Nolan’s parents and all who knew and loved him get to the truth of what happened in Mississippi.”
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick separately agreed to finance an independent autopsy in Washington, D.C. Results from both the official and independent examinations remained pending when the reward was announced.
Questions Remain About Wells’ Final Hours
Wells traveled with friends to Horn Island, an uninhabited barrier island accessible only by boat. The Fourth of July gathering attracted hundreds of people, creating a large pool of potential witnesses and privately recorded photographs and videos.
His friends left the island at approximately 3 p.m. after experiencing a problem with their boat, according to accounts provided to investigators. Conflicting explanations have emerged about whether Wells intended to remain behind and leave with another group.
His parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, have said that voluntarily separating from his friends would have been out of character. They have also questioned why his phone and keys returned to the mainland with other members of the group. Christine reported her son missing later that day. Searchers discovered his body on July 6.
Authorities have said drowning is among the possibilities being examined and previously reported that they had not found evidence of foul play. Wells’ family and attorneys have argued that any conclusion about his death would be premature until the autopsies and broader investigation are complete.
Wells Was Remembered as a Gentle Teammate With NFL Ambitions
Wells played wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College and had been preparing for his second season with the team. He previously played at Ocean Springs High School and hoped eventually to reach the NFL.
His parents opened the funeral with memories of a protective older brother, supportive friend and athlete who made other people feel included. “He had a way of making people feel seen, welcomed and valued,” Christine said, according to the Associated Press. “He could lift your confidence with just a few words and make you feel like you belong.”
Spike Lee and retired NFL player Terrell Owens attended the service, while Wells’ former teammates sat together wearing shades of blue at his mother’s request.
The Investigation Is Expected to Go Before a Grand Jury
Crump is representing the family as it conducts a parallel investigation. Both the family’s attorneys and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department have asked anyone with original photographs, videos or firsthand information from Horn Island to contact investigators.
The family has also agreed to work with the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office on a joint examination of Wells’ cellphone. Crump said District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath committed to presenting the investigative findings to a grand jury after the inquiry is complete.