SerpApi.Org
Nolan Wells may have suffered an injury to the back of his head, this according to the preliminary findings of the independent autopsy commissioned by Nolan's family.
The family's attorney, Ben Crump, described the "focal area of red discoloration in the soft tissue in the back of the head." It was 12 by 8 inches in length in the lower part of the skull.
There was significant decomposition such that it was impossible to know if there was bruising on Nolan's skin.
WebMD says
Crump said the cause and manner of death are undetermined pending further investigation.
The autopsy was conducted by Dr. Roger Mitchell, a board certified pathologist who serves as President of the National Medical Association. He's the former President of Howard University Hospital and also served Chief Medical Examiner in Washington D.C.
Nolan's mother addressed the crowd, saying the pain of losing a child is immeasurable. She says her family's focus is singular -- what happened to Nolan. She says she has endured false allegations of racism on her part, which has added to the grief.
The official autopsy results have not been released.
Nolan was found dead off the coast of Horn Island in the Mississippi Gulf Coast ... two days after going missing over Fourth of July weekend.
Authorities initially stated Nolan died by drowning ... but Crump questioned the announcement -- specifically saying he thinks officials in Mississippi may try to sweep the real story under the rug.
In fact, foul play is suspected by several prominent figures ... including Reverend Al Sharpton and Tyler Perry, who are each offering $50K for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Nolan's family also has voiced their concerns about the official narrative ... with his mom alleging messages were deleted from his phone after he was found dead.
We obtained video from Horn Island on the 4th of July, which may have captured Nolan's final hours ... which shows a man who looks like Nolan bending over to grab a drink out of a cooler.
Want to see more TMZ content on MSN? Be sure to follow us. Also, add TMZ as a Preferred Source in Google by clicking here.
