Pool party photo timing clarified in Nolan Wells death investigation

A photo of Mississippi teenager Nolan Wells at a pool party went viral after his death following a July 4 boat trip. Many people on social media believed the photo showed Wells alive after the incident. Some thought it was taken on July 5, the day after he went missing.

However, the photo was actually taken on June 27, more than a week earlier. A close friend of Wells, Tracestin Shepherd, confirmed this date. The person who originally posted it said it was part of a collection of recent photos, and deleted it after rumours began spreading online.

Attorney Ben Crump had looked at the photo as a possible lead. The mix-up shows how quickly false information can spread on social media during a death investigation.