Terrell Owens Sued Over Nolan Wells Post As Fight Over Teen’s Death Intensifies

Terrell Owens faces a federal lawsuit over his demand to arrest three friends of Nolan Wells, adding another court fight to the disputed death investigation.

The NFL Hall of Famer’s September 26 post on X came after a Mississippi grand jury declined to recommend criminal charges.

Benjamin Warren Hudson Jr., Eli Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour filed suit through their fathers in Mississippi’s Southern District on October 5. Their fathers brought the case because Mississippi treats people under 21 as minors.

The post at the center of the case read, “ARREST THEM IMMEDIATELY!! LIKE YESTERDAY!!” It linked to an Instagram video accusing the three of involvement in Wells’ death and tampering with his phone.

Their lawsuit alleges defamation and false light, claiming Owens spread false accusations that cast them as killers. They seek compensatory and punitive damages, with the amount to be determined at trial.

Owens had already pledged $25,000 toward a reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. His roughly 1.2 million followers on X gave his demand a large potential audience.

“Not only is he defaming them, he’s basically saying to the mob, get your pitchforks, get your torches,” their attorney Edward Paltzik told The Associated Press.

The AP reported that Owens did not immediately respond to requests sent through social media and his management company.

Wells, 18, disappeared during a July 4 outing to Horn Island with a group traveling on three boats. Searchers recovered his body July 6.

His friends said he stayed behind to speak with a girl, an account his family disputes.

The grand jury found no credible evidence that anyone traveling with the group committed a crime connected to Wells’ death. Its report described the body’s condition and location as consistent with drowning.

But neither the state autopsy nor the family’s private examination established a cause or manner of death. Those unresolved findings remain central to his parents’ demand for more answers.

“What we were left with were many, many inconsistent stories,” his mother, Christine Wonsley, said Monday.

The legal fallout now extends beyond Owens.

As AllHipHop previously reported, the three also sued a TikTok creator over claims that they killed Wells and concealed evidence.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said his administration was looking at the family’s request for federal involvement, without announcing a new investigation.

“Our team stands ready to work with the federal government to ensure Nolan’s death is investigated to the fullest extent,” family attorney Ben Crump said Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. has reassigned Owens’ case, and the plaintiffs have requested a jury trial.