Nolan Wells remembered for his gentle spirit as Rev. Al Sharpton demands truth about his death

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) — Family members and supporters of Nolan Xavier Wells filled a Mississippi church Monday to mourn and celebrate the 18-year-old, as the Rev. Al Sharpton pleaded for new evidence addressing the "many unanswered questions” around the teenager's July 4 disappearance.

The funeral opened with tearful remarks from Wells’ parents, who described their son as a warm and gentle presence, a role model to his younger siblings and a gifted athlete with NFL ambitions.

“He had a way of making people feel seen, welcomed and valued,” said his mother, Christine Wonsley. “He could lift your confidence with just a few words and make you feel like you belong.”

In a fiery eulogy, Sharpton then promised a $100,000 reward for any new information about the circumstances around Wells’ death, which came following a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, off the Gulf Coast.

Half of the sum will be covered by the actor and producer Tyler Perry, who also paid for the funeral, Sharpton noted.

“Somebody knows something,” Sharpton continued, drawing applause from the crowd that included the director Spike Lee, former NFL player Terrell Owens and many prominent Black clergy.

“Let every stone be rolled back and every veil be torn asunder and let truth pop out of the ground like a flower," he continued.

Wells, who was Black, had traveled to Horn Island — a popular Fourth of July destination — with a group of friends from high school, all of whom are white. He did not return with them to the mainland that evening, officials said. His body was found two days later off the island’s coast.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. The friends were cooperating with investigators, according to the sheriff.

But the still-unknown circumstances leading to Wells’ disappearance have fueled rampant online speculation and galvanized leaders in the Black community, including some who have expressed skepticism about the independence and transparency of the investigation.

In his eulogy, Sharpton urged those following the case to withhold judgement until more information becomes available. But he also questioned why Wells' phone and keys were found with his friends, why they had not immediately called police after realizing he was missing and why local officials appeared so quick to dismiss the possibility of foul play.

Invoking the history of racist violence in Mississippi, including the lynching of Emmett Till and assassination of Medgar Evers, Sharpton continued, addressing the state's law enforcement authorities: "Before we can medicate and heal today, we’ve got to look at your history.”

The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, then led the crowd in a chant of “Nolan’s life mattered,” as Wells’ mother sobbed into the shoulder of her husband, Elmore Wonsley.

At a news conference following the funeral, Crump said they were still waiting on the results of an independent autopsy. The official autopsy has also not been released.

Crump had said he is working alongside the local prosecutor to inspect Wells' phone. The prosecutor has agreed to present the results of the investigation to a grand jury once it is completed, according to Crump.

“They went out on the boat, the boat came back, and Nolan washed up on the shore two days later dead,” he said at the funeral Monday. “Wouldn’t you want answers?”

Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, played wide receiver on the football team at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Mississippi, and had aspirations of playing at a high-level Division I program.

At the funeral, Wells' father, Elmore Wonsley, recalled the hours the two spent studying game tape and running drills on the beach.

“I nicknamed you Mr. Cool Hands because it seemed like you were catching a touchdown every game,” the father said through tears.

“Our son meant a lot to a of people,” he concluded. “Today shows us how much he meant to the community, the country and the world.”

Associated Press video journalist Sophie Bates in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.

Sports jerseys are framed during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Elmore Wonsley, center, speaks next to attorney Ben Crump, left, and Rev. Al Sharpton during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Christine Wonsley, center, walks with Rev. Al Sharpton, right, her husband Elmore, second from left, and attorney Ben Crump, left, during a memorial service for her son Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The Wonsley family, from left to right, Christine, her Husband Elmore, sons Elmore Jr. and Ethan attend a memorial service Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

From left to right, Christine Wonsley cries next to her Husband Elmore, and their sons Elmore Jr. and Ethan during a memorial service for her son Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Attendees hug during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Attendees hug during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A young girl is among the attendees during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Football teammates of Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, attend his memorial service Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

People line up for a viewing during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A person holds a picture of Nolan Xavier Wells during a news conference at National Action Network headquarters, Friday, July 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks during a news conference with Christine and Elmore Wonsley, parents of Nolan Xavier Wells, at National Action Network headquarters, Friday, July 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Petey Halpin and Rhys Hoskins each went deep twice and the Cleveland Guardians matched a franchise record for a home game by hitting seven home runs in their 13-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night.

Bryan Rocchio, Travis Bazzana and Patrick Bailey also homered for Cleveland.

It was the sixth time in the franchise’s 125 seasons that Cleveland went deep at least seven times. Cleveland hit a franchise-best eight homers at Milwaukee on April 25, 1997, and at Seattle on July 16, 2004.

Cleveland also homered seven times at home on April 30, 2013, against Philadelphia.

Minnesota starter Joe Ryan (6-6) tied a major league record and set a franchise mark by allowing six homers. The All-Star right-hander gave up eight runs and a career-high 10 hits in four innings, raising his ERA from 2.85 to 3.38.

Cleveland's Chase DeLauter had four hits and three RBIs. Bailey also had four hits. Halpin added three hits and three RBIs and Bazzana also had three hits. The Guardians scored at least 13 runs for the second time this season and had a season-high 19 hits.

Byron Buxton, who was activated off the injured list before the game, had two hits for Minnesota.

Halpin and Hoskins each entered the game batting under .200. Halpin, who was batting .194, hit his first two homers in the majors with drives to right-center in the second and fourth innings.

Hoskins — whose average dropped to .177 after he went 1 for 6 in a weekend series against Pittsburgh — had solo shots to left in the first and third innings.

It was the first time two Cleveland players homered at least twice in a game since José Ramírez and Carlos Santana did it in 2019 against the Yankees.

Rocchio got things going with a two-run homer to left in the first inning. Bazzana went deep for the second time in three games with a drive to right-center in the second.

Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (4-9) allowed two runs in six innings and struck out five.

Lefty Parker Messick (8-5, 2.73 ERA) goes for Cleveland on Tuesday against Minnesota LHP Kendry Rojas (1-1, 2.79).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Cleveland Guardians' Petey Halpin, right, celebrates his fourth inning home run with Steven Kwan (38) in a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Minnesota Twins' Joe Ryan (41) pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Tanner Bibee pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Rhys Hoskins celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio (4) celebrates with Travis Bazzana, right, after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Cleveland, Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)