The investigation into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells is entering another critical stage as attorneys continue assembling digital records, boat data and emergency-call evidence from the hours before he disappeared on Mississippi’s Horn Island. More than two months after Wells was found dead, the publicly available record still leaves a crucial part of his final timeline unresolved.

One of the most closely examined pieces of evidence is the emergency Sea Tow call made after the boat that had carried Nolan to Horn Island began taking on water. An enhanced version circulated publicly after listeners said they could hear concerning words in the background, including what some interpreted as a reference to Nolan. However, those interpretations have not been independently established as fact, which is why the original recording and surrounding dispatch records have attracted so much attention.

The timeline has become especially important because investigators have evidence indicating Nolan was still on Horn Island after the boat carrying his friends departed. Video showing the vessel during the tow appeared to show seven people aboard — but not Nolan. Publicly reviewed GPS information places the vessel’s sustained departure at approximately 4:31 p.m., creating a narrow period investigators are still trying to reconstruct.

Investigators and the family’s legal team are also digging much deeper into Nolan’s digital footprint. Court filings sought records from Meta platforms, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp and Life360, including messages, photos, videos and location information that could help establish who was communicating with Nolan and where his devices were during the crucial hours surrounding his disappearance.

Nolan’s family has also offered his cellphone for a joint forensic examination, with their attorneys asking that experts from both sides participate. That examination could become significant because the family has previously raised questions about the phone, its location information and what communications may have existed around the time Nolan vanished.

Meanwhile, an independent autopsy commissioned by the family did not determine a final cause or manner of death, leaving both listed as undetermined pending further investigation. The findings prompted additional questions about injuries and the condition of the body, although they did not establish that Nolan was the victim of foul play.

The case is also expected to receive grand-jury review, meaning prosecutors can present evidence gathered during the investigation for further consideration. As of the latest publicly available reporting, authorities have not announced criminal charges or arrests connected to Nolan’s death, despite viral social-media graphics suggesting otherwise.