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Three friends who were with Nolan Wells before his death are pushing back against scrutiny surrounding the case as their attorneys prepare potential defamation lawsuits.
Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour say they have been unfairly targeted by people questioning their involvement in Wells’ death. Their attorneys, Tyler Cox and Edward Andrew Paltzik, told PEOPLE they are preparing potential lawsuits against individuals they believe have spread false claims about the friends.
The friends and their attorneys also say they have faced harassment and threats as speculation about the case has spread online, according to PEOPLE.
Their attorneys are conducting their own investigation into Wells' death. WAPT reported that Cox and Paltzik traveled to Horn Island as part of the effort to gather information and examine what happened.
The legal response comes as Wells’ family continues to seek answers about his death. His family has hired attorney Ben Crump, who has indicated that legal action could follow against people connected to the July 4 gathering, PEOPLE reported.
The friends have maintained that they were not involved in Wells’ death. They previously launched a legal defense fund to help cover their legal expenses amid the ongoing scrutiny, a development BIN reported earlier this month.
The United Cajun Navy also released a report last week examining the search for Wells and compiling information from witnesses, search participants and others involved in the effort. BIN reported that the group organized hundreds of tips, photos, GPS information and other material gathered during the search.
Wells disappeared during a July 4 trip to Horn Island and was found dead two days later. An independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family listed his cause and manner of death as undetermined. The official investigation remains ongoing.
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