The investigation into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells has taken another important turn as authorities and the family’s legal team continue examining evidence surrounding his final hours. Wells disappeared during a July 4 boat trip to Horn Island, Mississippi, and his body was discovered two days later. The circumstances of his death remain unresolved.

One of the most significant developments involves the boat’s GPS data. Records obtained by CBS News track the vessel’s movements on July 4, including its departure from the dock and arrival at Horn Island. Investigators are using the available timeline to better understand where the group traveled and what happened before Wells was last seen.

Nolan’s cellphone has also become an important part of the investigation. His family had raised concerns about messages they believed may have been deleted before the phone was returned. The family and the prosecutor’s office subsequently agreed to cooperate in examining the phone’s contents.

Another potentially significant piece of evidence is a distress call from a boat that day. Mississippi authorities released a recording of a call to a private marine towing company reporting that a boat with several people aboard was taking on water near Horn Island. The family’s attorneys have hired audio experts to examine the recording for additional information.

Perhaps the biggest unanswered question remains the cause of Nolan’s death. An independent autopsy commissioned by his family was inconclusive, determining that both the cause and manner of death remained undetermined pending further investigation. The official state autopsy has been completed, but its findings have not yet been publicly released.

The case has therefore not been officially classified as a homicide. Authorities have not announced that foul play occurred, and no one has been charged in connection with Nolan’s death. At the same time, discrepancies surrounding the timeline, cellphone, boat movements and distress call have prompted continued calls from his family for a thorough and transparent investigation.

The latest developments could become particularly important if investigators are able to reconcile the different accounts and establish a precise timeline of Nolan’s final hours.