Speaking publicly for the first time, Jayvon Williams said he doesn't believe the investigation should automatically be viewed through the lens of race—even as he acknowledged that "none of this adds up" and called attention to unanswered questions that continue to surround Wells' final hours.
Appearing on TMZ Live, Williams said he has been surprised by both the direction of the public conversation and the investigation itself. Despite being Wells' best friend, Williams said investigators have never contacted him.
"No, sir," Williams replied when asked whether police had interviewed him. While he said he wasn't bothered personally, he questioned the overall handling of the case, adding, "That's my boy, and I want him to find justice... this whole situation, none of this adds up to me. So, like it's really hard... none of it adds up honestly."
Williams also addressed one of the internet's biggest talking points: a viral video that many online have claimed captured an argument involving Wells shortly before he disappeared on Mississippi's Horn Island during a July 4 boating trip.
According to Williams, the confrontation shown in the widely shared clip had nothing to do with Wells. Instead, he said it involved another member of the group who became increasingly agitated.
"He was just very hostile," Williams explained. "The parents on that boat were trying to get him out. They were trying to get him back to land because he was just losing it."
Williams said the voices in the video also don't match what people have suggested online.
"I feel like the voices are too clear...for it to be Nolan arguing," he said, adding that the altercation "sounds just like my other friend that got into an altercation on the boat."
His comments come as civil rights attorney Ben Crump continues to raise concerns about the official investigation. Crump, who now represents Wells' family, has argued there are "glaring contradictions" in witness accounts and has questioned whether Mississippi authorities can conduct an impartial investigation, citing the state's history of racial violence.
The family has also retained Crump's legal team to pursue an independent investigation, while former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is funding an independent autopsy.
Williams, however, stopped short of embracing the idea that race alone explains what happened.
"I don't want to answer that question," he said when asked directly whether race played a role. Pointing to the community where they grew up, he added, "We go to Ocean Springs. We're going to have white friends."
He later elaborated: "I'm sure every Black person has white friends somewhere... So, I wouldn't say that it's a whole race thing, but it's just like obviously they're going to paint it as that because none of this adds up."
The investigation into Wells' death remains active. Authorities have said they currently believe the teenager drowned and have stated they do not suspect foul play, though they continue to seek additional photos, videos, and witness information from Horn Island.
