Brandon Tatum, a YouTuber and former police officer, who recently dug deep into the Nolan Wells case while interviewing the teen’s friend Warren Hudson, has now shared a screenshot of a text message and claimed that Wells’ mother was “caught lying” about no parents reaching out to her after her son went missing. The Ocean Springs, Mississippi, teen was found dead in the water on the northwest end of Horn Island on Monday morning, July 6. Wells went missing on July 4 after taking a boat to the island with friends. The search for the teen was called off after a body was found by a park ranger on Monday, July 6.
Hudson’s stepmother, Ashlee Cole, shared a screenshot with Tatum, revealing that she reached out to Wells’ mother.
“NEWLY shared text messages show Nolan Wells’ mother CAUGHT LYING about not having any parents reach out to her regarding her missing son. Warren Hudson’s stepmom, Ashlee Cole, exclusively shared a new text message revealing she reached out to Nolan’s mother prior to Nolan’s mother claiming nobody reached out,” Tatum wrote on X, sharing the screenshot.
“Nolan’s mother later corrected herself on CNN,” he added.
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The screenshot shows a text message sent to Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, reading, “Christine, this is Ashlee Cole. If, or when, you ever want to talk to me, this is my number.”
Who is Ashlee Cole?
Tracetin Shepherd, Wells’ friend, previously told ABC and Rolling Stone that he and his friends were getting death threats amid the investigation. Cole is a Chancery Court Judge, and drew fire after briefly deactivating her social media accounts, but later echoed what Shepherd has alleged.
Cole later issued a statement, saying she did so to protect her family’s privacy. She later also shared screenshots of death threats she had received.
“We have decided that we will not be speaking to the press at this time,” she wrote on Facebook. “The Media is not the appropriate forum to further elaborate on the facts of July 4, 2026. We realize that the truth will not stop the calls for the death of our small children. We have not had the opportunity to speak to the Wells-Wonsley family or their attorney. However, we are willing to directly communicate with attorney Ben Crump and the Wells-Wonsley family.”
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She added, “We will provide them with all the information known to us so their family can rest and properly mourn. We also want to know what happened to Nolan. We will do everything within our power to assist Nolan’s family in their quest for answers.”
Attorney Ben Crump, who has been hired by Wells’ family, said that the young men who were on the boat with Wells have all obtained lawyers. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said that everyone is cooperating with the investigation.
