District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath issues statement regarding Nolan Wells death investigation

District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath has issued a statement regarding the death investigation of Nolan Wells.

The full statement is below:

As District Attorney, I do not have the same freedom to share information publicly that private individuals may have. For example, I do not have the freedom to release letters I’ve sent in this investigation, discuss witness cooperation, or the testing of evidence. I do not have the freedom to identify what information is verified and what information is false. I do not have the freedom to publicly adopt a narrative and choose one fact over another. Nor do I control the information released by private individuals who are not part of the investigative team. I cannot control whether private individuals release letters they have sent to me, just as I cannot prevent them from releasing letters I’ve sent to them. I cannot control which facts or bits of information are shared or whether that information is being shared in context, twisted, or misconstrued. Public commentary does not make the speaker transparent, just like exercising restraint consistent with the law does not make the process corrupt. The fact that something is said does not necessarily mean it’s actually true.

Prosecutors are held to the highest ethical standard under the law, as we should be. The people we serve deserve no less. I understand that a void is perceived when some are speaking publicly about a matter while others do not. I would be stepping outside the bounds of the law if I were to fill that void and share information publicly. With all of the public “pressure” being placed on my office, filling the void would only serve to get “pressure” off of me. Nolan deserves better. There is no pressure that can be placed on me and no force that is greater than the weight of the oath I took and my responsibility to the people I serve.

My obligation and commitment is to present the Grand Jury with all the evidence collected in this case in order for them to reach a decision based on a thorough investigation, complete evidence presentation, the actual truth, and an understanding of the law. I am obligated to do so in keeping with the law and the rules of the court.

On July 23, 2026, I released a recorded statement explaining the process and what the people of Jackson County should expect in this matter. There is nothing more to be shared at this time. I caution the public about assigning trustworthiness to things they read and see online. I also ask that, rather than those individuals demanding that I step outside the bounds of the law and make public statements, we all step back, allow the process to work and allow us to do the job we were elected to do.

I stand firmly on the rule of law and my ethical obligations. That is what the people of Jackson County elected me to do. I will present the Grand Jury with a thorough, complete, and fair investigation into the death of Nolan Wells.

To listen to Myers McIlrath’s statement from July 23, click here.