After months of speculation, anger and questioning over the death of teenager Nolan Wells, a Mississippi grand jury has decided not to file any criminal charges in the case. The conclusion comes after scrutinizing the evidence in the case, but the grand jury’s conclusion has not put to bed sharp disagreements over how the case has been handled.

ABC News reported that a Jackson County Grand Jury Report issued Monday night concluded that no criminal charges were warranted at this time relating to the death of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old who died after a Fourth of July outing with friends to Mississippi’s Horn Island. The grand jury weighed physical, digital and medical evidence, as well as testimony from 43 witnesses, in making its conclusions. The grand jury determined that the “position of, condition of, time of discovery, and location” of Wells’ body, which was discovered two days after the boat trip, were all “consistent with drowning.” The grand jury also determined that there was “no credible evidence to support the public allegations” that Wells’ friends or anyone else associated with the outing “engaged in any criminal conduct related to” the college student’s death. The report noted that the 23-person grand jury was made up of a “cross section of citizens,” with 13 men and 10 women, between 27 and 68 years old, “12 Caucasians, five African Americans, one Asian, two Hispanics, two Native Americans, and one individual who preferred ‘other.'”

The grand jury report sheds light on some details surrounding Wells’ trip to Horn Island while leaving some questions unanswered. A toxicology report determined that Wells did not have cocaine in his system and did not show any evidence that Wells had ever used the drug, though other evidence determined that Wells had purchased alcohol using a fake ID. The toxicological evidence did not shine much light on the circumstances of Wells’ death, however, due to the decomposition of his body by the time it was discovered. The condition of Wells’ body also meant that examiners could not determine the source of bruising on the back of his head, though it was determined that this was “not a fatal injury” and that he did not have any obvious injury or disease that would account for his death. The grand jury report also concluded that the circumstances surrounding Wells’ phone ending up returning from the island without him were not “unusual or suspicious,” noting that Wells’ phone was not the only phone to travel back to the mainland without its owner that day.

District Attorney, Benjamin Crump remain divided, exchange criticisms of handling of case

The decision by the grand jury has not settled sharp disagreements about how this case has been handled on both sides. Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath discussed the grand jury findings. “The narrative that three white boys and a Black boy went to an island and only three white friends returned spread like wildfire. This was false,” McIlrath said in a video reacting to the grand jury’s findings. “There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan’s disappearance and death were racially motivated.” McIlrath had harsh criticism for Wells’ family and their attorney, civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, accusing them of spreading disinformation about the case. “The family, the Crump team, and anyone close to Nolan knew that his disappearance and death were not the result of racial hate or violence. Yet the flames of that narrative, set against the backdrop of Mississippi’s terrible history, were fanned by both people who knew the truth and those who didn’t.”

Crump, meanwhile, has criticized the findings, saying in a statement “Today, the State of Mississippi is attempting to close the chapter on Nolan Wells’ death without getting to the truth.” Crump cited both the state’s medical examination and the independent autopsy performed by National Medical Association President Dr. Robert Mitchell on behalf of the Wells family. These examinations, Crump noted, have left unanswered questions about the bruising on Wells’ head or whether or not he was forced into the water where he seemingly drowned. “We don’t know how Nolan died, and neither does the State of Mississippi,” Crump said. “Mississippi must keep investigating, and if it will not pursue this to the end, the Department of Justice should.” Rev. Al Sharpton, who has supported the Wells family and was threatened with a defamation lawsuit by three of Wells’ friends over comments he made concerning the case, released his own statement on the grand jury report. “While we strongly disagree with the conclusion that there was no criminal wrongdoing, we will not allow today’s decision to become the final word on Nolan’s death,” Sharpton said. “We will continue to demand answers, pursue accountability, and mobilize with even greater resolve until justice is served.” Kristen Clarke, General Counsel of the NAACP, echoed these words, saying in her statement “Make no mistake, we will continue to stand with Nolan’s family and use every tool available in the quest to uncover the full truth surrounding his tragic death. Nolan’s family deserves nothing less than a full, fair, and independent investigation that is exhaustive and leaves no stone unturned.”

Mississippi has no statute of limitations concerning murder cases, meaning that charges could theoretically be filed in the future if new evidence comes to light warranting such a move. For now, though, the official investigation into Nolan Wells’ death has concluded with no determination of foul play and no one charged in his death, even as his family’s representatives pledge to continue to seek answers.