Mississippi
State responds after MS death row inmate Crawford asks US Supreme Court to stop execution
Executions in Mississippi: What to know
A look at the process of determining when and how a prisoner on death row in Mississippi should be executed.
More than a week after Charles Ray Crawford filed an emergency petition in the U.S. Supreme Court to stop his execution, the State of Mississippi is asking the Court to deny Crawford’s request.
Crawford, 59, has spent more than 30 years on death row and is scheduled to face execution at 6 p.m. Oct. 15, at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman for the 1993 kidnapping, rape and murder of a Mississippi college student.
Crawford filed two petitions Oct. 1 with the U.S. Supreme Court, one requesting an emergency stay of execution and the other seeking to have his case reviewed on claims of Sixth Amendment violations during his trial.
In a 38-page response filed Thursday, Oct. 9, the state refuted Crawford’s claims, asserting that he “has refused the process he was due, his punishment is just, and his execution will be constitutional.”
The state contends Crawford’s filings are a last-minute effort to halt his execution, years after the case was decided and far too late to be raised now.
The states stated that any “irreparable injury” to Crawford would be because “his lawful death sentence was finally carried out — not because this Court denies a stay.”
“His guilt is not in question — petitioner no doubt committed the crime that sent him to death row,” the state’s Oct. 9 response reads. “Petitioner was sentenced to death by a Mississippi jury in 1994. Three decades of litigation have not demonstrated constitutional errors occurred at trial. The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld his conviction and sentence four times, and lower federal courts have denied him habeas relief. This Court has denied certiorari review at every turn.”
Crawford was convicted and sentenced to death in 1994 for the 1993 kidnapping, rape and murder of Kristy Ray from her Tippah County home in the Chalybeate community. Ray was a 20-year-old student at Northeast Mississippi Community College student.
In 1993, Crawford was out on bond awaiting trial on charges of aggravated assault and rape. Four days before the trial, Crawford broke into Ray’s home, left a ransom note to her family and abducted Ray from her parents’ home in Chalybeate — about 255 miles north of Jackson.
According to court records, Crawford took Ray to a barn, where Crawford handcuffed the community college student and stuffed a sock in her mouth before sexually assaulting her and stabbing her to death on a country road in northeast Mississippi’s Tippah County.
After Crawford’s family and attorney notified police that they feared Crawford was committing another crime, he was arrested.
“Petitioner initially told officers that he ‘didn’t know Kristy” or why officers wanted to speak to him,” the state’s response reads.
“When asked by FBI agents ‘if Kristy was alive,’ he ‘began to cry’ and ‘admit[ted] that Kristy was no longer alive.’ Petitioner then led officers to Kristy’s body, hidden in a wooded area near the abandoned barn. Her jeans had been ‘pulled down below her hips,’ her ‘hands were cuffed behind her back around a small cedar sapling,’ a ‘sock had been stuffed into her mouth, and a gag was around her head to keep it in place.’”
Court records state an autopsy later revealed Ray’s cause of death was “a large stab wound to the left mid-chest which punctured her heart and left lung, causing extensive internal and external hemorrhaging.” In addition, samples collected from the scene contained Ray and Crawford’s DNA.
More than 30 years after his 1994 conviction, Crawford’s current attorneys said his then-trial defense counsel conceded his guilt to the jury and prepared a defense arguing he was insane at the time of the crime — both stances Crawford opposed.
The attorneys stated defense counsel told jurors in guilt-phase closing arguments that Crawford was “‘legally responsible’ for the charged crimes and that he was ‘still dangerous to the community.’”
“Unsurprisingly,” the jury convicted Crawford and sentenced him to death, the attorneys say.
“Counsel made those sweeping concessions over petitioner’s repeated and vehement objections, which he expressed to both counsel and the trial court,” the Oct. 1 petition reads. “The trial court’s rejection of petitioner’s objections was a stark violation of the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees an accused the right to decide whether to permit counsel to concede guilt before the jury.”
The state responded by arguing that Crawford never instructed his counsel to maintain his innocence but instead to “‘vigorously advocate for acquittal’ which is exactly what counsel did.”
“Counsel pursued an insanity defense aimed at securing petitioner’s outright acquittal,” the state’s response reads. “The record reflects that counsel conceded underlying facts, yet at all times argued that Crawford was not guilty by reason of insanity.”
Seperately, Crawford’s attorneys filed a motion with the Mississippi Supreme Court requesting a rehearing on the setting of an execution date, arguing that no date should be set until his remedies with the U.S. Supreme Court are exhausted. The motion was denied Thursday, Oct. 9.
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.
Mississippi teen found dead on Horn Island. Investigation is ongoing
Authorities ID’d a body found on Horn Island as Mississippi teen Nolan Wells, who went missing on July 4. Deputies are investigating what happened.
Attorney Ben Crump says Nolan Xavier Wells’ family is pursuing an independent autopsy. Investigators continue working to determine what happened to the 18-year-old after his body was found on Horn Island this week.
Wells, 18, went missing on Saturday, July 4, after taking a boat to the island with friends. A body was found Monday, ending a two-day search.
Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd told the Sun Herald on Tuesday that the body was identified as Wells. The State Medical Examiner’s Office used dental records to confirm his identity. Officials did not release his cause of death.
In an exclusive interview with Don Lemon on Wednesday, Crump said the body was being flown to Washington, D.C., for a medical examiner to study.
Wells’ disappearance led to an outpouring of prayers, volunteer efforts and community support. By Wednesday morning, a GoFundMe to help the family had raised more than $237,000.
There are still many questions about why Wells was on the island after the boat with his high school friends left. What happened before his death remains unclear.
On Tuesday, his family hired nationally known civil rights attorney Crump and his team to help them find answers in the case.
What was Nolan Wells’ cause of death?
Crump said the second autopsy will find out “if he had any physical injuries to his body beyond drowning.” He was unaware of the physical condition of the body at the time of the interview.
The remains were being flown to Washington on Wednesday. Crump said his team expects the results on Friday.
Crump said investigators in Mississippi have not given them information about the state’s autopsy.
Crump says family is living in a nightmare
Crump told Lemon the family is living in a nightmare, and they still have many questions about the young man’s death.
He was clear, however, that his investigation is still in very early stages and they are not sure yet if they will find signs of foul play. If they do, he said, they will work with local law enforcement and the state if there’s anyone who should face criminal charges.
According to the attorney, the sheriff’s office has not shared information with the family about what happened and whether the sheriff’s office suspects criminal behavior.
“There’s no information that we have right now that would lead us to believe that a crime has occurred,” Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told ABC News earlier this week.
He said the family has concerns about “inconsistencies” including texts deleted from Wells’ phone. They don’t want Wells’ death to be called an accident and swept under the rug if it wasn’t.
Crump said Wells had a tryout to play Division I football on Monday. The teen was reportedly avoiding substances that could affect his performance. His family said he was an extraordinary athlete and strong swimmer.
There was allegedly an argument on the island, Crump said. Now, Wells’ family isn’t accepting that his death could be a coincidence.
Lemon asked if they knew what the argument was and if Wells and his group were involved. Crump said they have an investigator talking to Wells’ friends. He plans to share the information when the issue becomes clear.
Crump said investigation, not speculation, is the goal.
Questions remain after Horn Island death
Ledbetter said the county’s investigation is still active.
According to reporting from TMZ, the sheriff’s office was investigating a video shared on social media that appears to show people arguing on Horn Island on the holiday. It’s unclear if the footage, which shows a crowded beach, is related to the case.
Crump and his legal team are planning their independent review. They have committed to urging “the timely release of all records, witness accounts, and autopsy findings.”
What investigators know so far
Wells was reported missing over the holiday weekend after traveling to Horn Island with friends on July 4. The barrier island is part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Wells, who also went by Nono, was last seen on the northwest tip of Horn Island on the afternoon of Saturday, July 4. He did not come back to the mainland with his group, and his mom reported him missing that night.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office led a search on land and water Sunday and Monday. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, National Park Service employees and the U.S. Coast Guard helped with the search. The United Cajun Navy and other volunteers also worked to find Wells.
His mother, Christine Wonsley, said during the search that she and his father had received Wells’ phone. Location tracking wasn’t an option while they looked for him.
A park ranger found the body Monday morning. The identification was confirmed Tuesday following an autopsy.
Investigators are still trying to determine why he didn’t leave the island and who he was with. They’re limiting the information released at this time as deputies work to find witnesses and collect evidence.
Authorities seek witnesses, photos and video
Ledbetter issued a statement saying rumors, commentary and unchecked information spreading on social media have been a challenge in the investigation.
Deputies need to speak to people who were at Horn Island. They’re also looking for original photos, video or sound recordings.
They are asking anyone who saw or heard an “argument, disturbance or other unusual activity” on the island to come forward.
Call 228-769-3065 during regular business hours or 228-769-3063 after hours if you have firsthand information about the case.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@usatodayco.com.
PEARL, Miss. (WLBT) – Mississippi’s first Dutch Bros is now open in Pearl!
The coffee shop had its grand opening on Wednesday, July 8, around 5 a.m. It is located at 200 Bass Pro Dr.
To celebrate the grand opening, customers can enjoy $3 medium drinks on Wednesday.
Store hours are Sun-Thurs: 5 a.m.- 10 p.m., Fri-Sat: 5 a.m.- 11 p.m.
Dutch Bros now has stores in 26 states.
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Copyright 2026 WLBT. All rights reserved.
Mississippi
Police investigating video of Nolan Wells’ alleged argument on Horn Island before Mississippi teen went missing
MIAMI – Police are said to be investigating a video that allegedly shows a heated argument before Mississippi teen Nolan Xavier Wells went missing and was later found dead – as his grandfather said: “There’s nothing right about this.”
The 18-year-old star football player vanished during a Fourth of July boat trip with friends Saturday and a body which authorities said matched his description was found Monday morning.
Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday “talking to a girl” at the north end of Horn Island, a popular barrier island about 10 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the Cajun Navy Jackson County Sheriff’s Department said.
Law enforcement have been looking into a viral clip circulated online which appears to show several people having an “intense” argument near the shoreline, TMZ reported.
It sparked speculation that the tense moment could be connected to Wells’ disappearance.
However, authorities have not confirmed that the footage is authentic or whether the people seen in it have any connection to the college student.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said that Wells’ friends had left the island and gone back without him, ABC News reported.
“From what we understand, he chose to stay there,” Ledbetter added.
Ledbetter said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon that officers want to speak with anyone who “observed or heard an argument, disturbance, or other unusual activity while on the island that day.”
Meanwhile, the family of the teen – who played as a wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College – said they were seeking answers.
“Too many unanswered questions — how can a Island that was searched yesterday produce my grandsons body this morning,” his grandfather Christopher Wells Sr. wrote on Facebook on Monday.
“There’s nothing right about this, Nolan Xavier Wells deserved the same things that people he knew and associated with will enjoy in life.”
Wells Sr. later said Wells’ mom Christine and dad Elmore had “prayed for a positive outcome but they also had to prepare themselves for the worst”, adding that “it’s time for answers.”
Photos of the 6-foot-1, 180-pound teen showed him shirtless while sporting blue swim trunks, sunglasses and grinning alongside friends on a boat before he went missing.
The United Cajun Navy non-profit disaster relief organization launched aerial reconnaissance during the search to scour the waters between Horn Island and Ship Island, stretching south to the Chandelier Islands.
The United States Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department also reportedly assisted in the frantic search.
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