Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Reward Surges to $175K in Mysterious Death of Mississippi Football Star Nolan Wells | Crime Alert 08.01.26

Episode Date: August 1, 2026

The family of Mississippi teenager Nolan Wells demands answers alongside civil rights leaders as rewards in his suspicious death case reach $175,000. New Mexico Supreme Court rules hospital body camera footage and a teenage cheerleader's confession cannot be used in murder trial for her newborn baby. California man facing murder charges after allegedly shooting his mother outside a police department and hiding her body inside her car.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Crime alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Sidney. It has been 25 days since the body of 18-year-old high school football star Nolan Wells was recovered on Horn Island, a picturesque getaway off the Mississippi coast,

where the Ocean Springs teenager went by boat to celebrate the 4th of July. Wells never returned home that evening, triggering a massive multi-agency search before his body was found on July 6th. The case has drawn national attention in widespread online speculation after photo surface showing Wells, who was black, with white friends on the boat that day. High-profile attorney Ben Crump represents Wells' parents Elmore and Christine Wansley. The Jackson County Sheriff's Department leads the investigation, while District Attorney Angel Myers-McGilrath confirmed case details will remain sealed

until presented to a grand jury. With official updates limited, frustration mounts across the Mississippi coast as unverified claims spread across the Internet. National interest has intensified following significant financial reward pledges. Actor Tyler Perry and civil rights figure Reverend Al Sharpton each offered $50,000 for information leading to an arrest,

an announcement Sharpton made alongside the Wandsley family during Wells' funeral. Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens pledged an additional $25,000. Now, Dr. Benjamin Hudson, whose son Warren was on Horn Island with Nolan, on one of three boats that day, matched Sharpton's $50,000 offer, bringing the total reward to $175,000. Dr. Hudson explained he offered the money to bring justice to the Wells family and counter harmful rumors, revealing his family received thousands of death threats. Meanwhile, Attorney Russell Latino announced he is preparing defamation lawsuits on behalf of another teenager who was on the island while serving a cease and desist letter to influencer Kimberia Lee.

Speaking Thursday at the National Urban League Annual Conference, Christine Wansley made an urgent plea for witnesses to contact Ben Crump's law firm. Just know, we will not be distracted. We are ready to do whatever we need to do as his parents to continue. advocate for him because Nolan is free for himself. So again, until we get answers. And if you know something, you need to let us know. That impassioned appeal from Christine Wansley highlights the agonizing wait for answers that continues to grip the Ocean Springs community. More crime and justice news after this. You've heard the chaos. Now you can see it. Hello.

My gosh. Watch all your favorite podcasts from start. to finish right inside the free iher radio app gets the blood going up catch every laugh and iroll on shows like the tom green farmcast and park the bus now with full video we're building a ramp for tony hawk it's the same hosts and the same chemistry with all the hilarious moments you've been missing right on your screen cheers open the free iher radio app search video podcasts and tap watch in new mexico a landmark ruling has delivered a major blow to prosecutors in the murder case against former high school cheerleader Alexi Treviso. In a unanimous decision, the justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that body camera footage and incriminating statements Treviso made inside her hospital room cannot be used at trial due to doctor-patient confidentiality.

The high school senior arrived at Artesia General Hospital complaining of severe back pain in the early morning hours of January 27, 2023, where staff administered morphine while awaiting test results. Treviso used the bathroom, and a cleaning crew member later discovered a heavy trash bag containing a dead newborn baby. When Dr. Heather Vasquez entered the room, accompanied by police officers to disclose the discovery, body camera footage captured Treviso's reaction, as she admitted placing the infant in the trash bag. We discovered a dead baby in the bathroom. Oh my gosh. I'm sorry. He came out and me and didn't know what to do it. Lexi, I told you about it. this. I just asked you, baby, to tell me the truth. It was not crying or nothing. What did you do to it?

In terms, I'm sorry about this, but in terms of delivering a baby and it looked like you tried to hide it, we do have to have the police involved. And nothing was crying. It came out with nothing. Justice Michael Vigil wrote that Dr. Vasquez ambushed Treviso without authorization by bringing armed officers into the room and disclosing medical information during an unresolved medical crisis. Because Treviso was in a compromised medical condition, the court ruled her physician-patient privilege was not voluntarily waived. Prosecutors must now rebuild their first-degree murder case without the hospital surveillance footage, body camera recordings, or the teenager's statements, despite autopsy findings,

indicating the infant had air in his lungs and suffered hypoxia consistent with breathing after birth. In California, a 23-year-old man faces murder charges in connection with the shooting death of his mother, whose body was discovered hidden inside her vehicle. The Orange County District Attorney's Office announced that 61-year-old Teresa Jones was found dead on July 11th in the passenger seat of her car parked outside the Fullerton Church. Jones was reported missing on July 7th after failing to pick up her grandchild, and missing repeated phone calls. Authorities allege her son, Emmanuel Wesley,

shot her on July 4th, directly outside the Fullerton Police Department. Surveillance video captured Jones driving up to the station before slumping over behind the wheel. Investigators say Wesley exited, pushed his mother into the passenger seat, and drove off. Jones, a devoted mother and grandmother

affectionately nicknamed Cardi B by loved ones for bringing joy and laughter, suffered two gunshot wounds to her back. Wesley pleaded not guilty to felony murder and a firearm enhancement. For more crime and justice news, be sure to join us for crime stories with Nancy Grace on Fox 1, YouTube, Sirius XM, and now streaming on 2B. With this crime alert, I'm Sidney. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.