Engineer defends enhanced audio of Sea Tow call at center of Nolan Wells case

The death of Nolan Wells, an 18‑year‑old Mississippi college athlete, continues to draw national attention after a Texas audio engineer released an enhanced version of a 37‑second Sea Tow distress call.

The engineer, Jeanetta “Netta” Brantley, told Atlanta Black Star she spent nine hours isolating voices in the clip, which captured a group reporting their boat was taking on water near Horn Island on July 4. Her enhancement circulated widely online and intensified questions about Wells’ final hours.

Brantley’s work became a focal point for listeners who believe the background voices contradict the official narrative that Wells remained on the island with a female friend.

Audio Engineer Jeanetta Brantley Rejects Claims of Alteration

Brantley, who has worked in audio engineering for more than 15 years, told Atlanta Black Star she used Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, Adobe Audition and Cubase to clarify the recording. She said she avoided artificial intelligence because it can introduce sounds that were never present.

“I fear nothing,” she told Atlanta Black Star. She encouraged federal investigators to conduct their own analysis, saying the FBI’s forensic tools could produce an even clearer version.

“They have the equipment to break down and analyze the words being said,” she said.

Nolan Wells Family Pursues Independent Review

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Wells’ family, said they have hired forensic audio experts to examine the recording. The family’s search for answers began after Wells disappeared during a Fourth of July gathering on Horn Island, a barrier island about 10 miles off the Mississippi coast.

Wells had recently graduated high school and played football at Southwest Mississippi Community College. Hundreds of young people visited the island that day, including several of Wells’ former classmates.

A Distress Call and a Troubling Timeline

One friend, Warren Hudson, said Wells stayed behind with a girl when others left the island around mid‑afternoon. The boat that later made the distress call departed around 4 p.m. A mechanical failure caused it to take on water, prompting the group to contact Sea Tow Call.

The recording begins with muffled voices before the dispatcher answers. Two days later, a National Park Service ranger found Wells’ body facedown in the water near the same area. The state autopsy has not been released. The family’s independent autopsy was inconclusive because several body parts were missing, deepening mistrust of Mississippi’s medical examiner.

“Bart”?

Brantley told Atlanta Black Star she enhanced the audio after hearing what she believed was Wells’ name in the background. She said she also heard phrases suggesting panic and confusion. One name — “Bart” — stood out because it had not appeared in public reporting at the time.

She posted her enhanced audio on her Instagram, urging her followers to draw their own conclusions by comparing it to the original audio released earlier.

Her post went viral, drawing thousands of comments. Some listeners said they heard similar phrases. Others questioned individuals mentioned in the clip.

Jeanetta Brantley Stands By Her Work

Attorney Russell Latino, who represents one of Wells’ former classmates, dismissed the enhanced audio as misleading. He accused online commentators of spreading false claims and threatened legal action. Brantley said she has not received a cease‑and‑desist letter and will not retract her work.

“I didn’t doctor anything,” she told Atlanta Black Star. “All I want is justice for Nolan.”

Read more on Nolan Wells.

Enhanced audio from emergency call raises questions in Nolan Wells’ death

Unheard Voices Magazine

Support independent storytelling that amplifies voices too often ignored. Your donation keeps our stories alive and accessible.

Donate Today

Every contribution helps fund reporting, editing, and platforms for underrepresented communities.