My inner child went tree climbing on the Fourth of July and dragged the old adult along. Can you remember the last time, if ever, you climbed a tree? I have always been the quick climber who stayed low. As I hoisted myself up, I thought of suicide.
Rather, I thought of the claims that Black men and women across the South who have been found hanging from trees have had their deaths ruled suicides. I say low, because to climb high enough to ensure the drop would snap my neck would require more height, which means more strength and dexterity venturing higher up in a tree, and then a rope and a hangman’s noose… oh, let’s just stop it right here. That’s not happening.
Consider the likelihood of a Black man between the ages of 35 and 50 climbing up a tree to commit suicide in the manner that Black people have been lynched. Occam’s razor: the answer requiring the fewest assumptions is the likely one. Don’t call it the race card, call it the race data. The suicide rate of Black men is significantly lower than that of white men. Per percentage of the race population, white men commit suicide at nearly double the rate of Black men (24.8 per 100,000 for white men versus 13.9 per 100,000 for Black men). Then there’s the method of choice. The most common method by far for Black men is a firearm.
Consider the likelihood of a Black man between the ages of 35 and 50 climbing up a tree to commit suicide in the manner that Black people have been lynched. Occam’s razor: the answer requiring the fewest assumptions is the likely one. Don’t call it the race card, call it the race data. The suicide rate of Black men is significantly lower than that of white men. Per percentage of the race population, white men commit suicide at nearly double the rate of Black men (24.8 per 100,000 for white men versus 13.9 per 100,000 for Black men). Then there’s the method of choice. The most common method by far for Black men is a firearm.
Suicide is a private affair, yet coroners have ruled Black men and women found hanging from trees as suicides. Coroners! Not to be confused with medical examiners. You see, coroners are political appointees, and the requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent — no special training. Unless the coroner suspects foul play, a medical examiner — which requires a degree in forensic pathology — is never called in.
That same day, July 4, 2026, Nolan Wells went missing. A massive search on July 5, 2026, found nothing. His body was found by a volunteer group, the Cajun Navy, on Monday, July 6th.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter initially shared preliminary evidence with the media suggesting that 18-year-old Nolan Wells likely drowned and that no foul play was suspected. This conclusion was based on initial investigations and the Jackson County coroner’s assessment that there were no immediate, obvious signs of physical injury.
The results of the state autopsy and independent autopsy are still pending. But there’s that word again — coroner! There are one to two drownings a year off Horn Island, typically when someone jumps off a boat into shallow water and suffers a spinal injury that leads to drowning. Briefly, if you’re not familiar with the case: Nolan was one of four young men who went to Horn Island on July 4th. Three of those friends returned with Nolan’s phone and keys and reported that Nolan chose to stay on the island. None of this makes sense, and with each day, more emerges to cast doubt on the idea of an accidental drowning.
This ongoing case is reminiscent of the 2019 death of Mallory Beach, in which Paul Terry Murdaugh crashed his family’s boat into the Archers Creek Bridge in Beaufort, South Carolina. With wealth and connections in a small community, there were initial cover-ups. The underage Paul, who was driving the boat, was uncooperative with medical staff, and when they were finally able to test his blood several hours after the crash, he was three times over the legal limit. Despite the evidence and witnesses, it was still a slow crawl that took over six weeks for Paul to be indicted. When Paul was murdered by his father in June 2021, he was still under indictment and had not gone to court. His father was convicted of murdering his wife and son in 2023. Sorry for the detour, but that Southern Gothic tangle of stories and lies is what came to mind first.
This is particularly relevant given this statement from the stepmother of one of the boys, Warren Cole. Judge Cole said, “Nolan made the decision to stay on island and return on inland later with another group of friends.” She also stated, “Warren was interviewed by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and cooperated fully.” Yet, Warren had Nolan Wells’s car keys and cell phone.
This follows a playbook. The three friends deleted social media accounts and hired lawyers immediately. At this point, there is no person of interest, no arrest, nothing. Maybe there will be movement in the coming week. There is too much suspicion, yet we live in a world where Black men found dead hanging from a tree are ruled a suicide, no foul play suspected. Maybe it’s more like no fair play involved.
Balancing on Unstable Surfaces 