Scandals

Nolan Wells' friends say they wish they had never gone to Horn Island on the Fourth of July ... believing Nolan would still be alive if they had stayed home.

TMZ obtained exclusive clips from the group's sit-down with YouTuber Brandon Tatum and their attorney, J. Tyler Cox ... ahead of the full interview dropping Monday on "The Officer Tatum Show" ... and his friends talk regret, race and more.

Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo and Morgan Seymour open up about the tragedy and the allegations that followed ... including claims race played a role in Nolan's death.

Mark Zuckerberg is taking some heat for his yacht not giving any assistance to a skiff that ran out of fuel ... but the Meta CEO says there's nothing to see here.

The drama reportedly began last Monday night when a cruise ship took a detour to help out the 21-foot skiff in Southeast Alaska.

Michael Love, one of the cruise ship's passengers, wrote on social media that the captain announced Zuckerberg's yacht was actually closer to the skiff, but did absolutely nothing to help.

Nolan Wells' friends set out Friday to Horn Island after launching an investigation of their own into the death of the teen ... and the visit was intense.

Warren Hudson and Jax Pitalo took their lawyers, J. Tyler Cox and Edward Andrew Paltzik, to inspect the Mississippi barrier island ... and a realization hit them like a ton of bricks.

Cox tells TMZ ... things got raw for the boys ... "The trip was tough for Warren and Jax because that’s the last place they saw their best friend. A couple of times we had to pause and give them their space.” He pointed out one of those places included the site where Nolan’s body was discovered.

With all the mystery around Nolan Wells' death, TMZ decided to bring in the big guns to try and figure out who's telling the truth.

We sat down with body language expert Susan Constantine to get her take on Warren Hudson's recent interview with Brandon Tatum ... and she thinks there's definitely something he's not telling us.

After watching a clip of Warren insisting "no one touched Nolan's phone," Susan said her assessment indicated he was being deceptive.

"Teen Mom" star Rachel Beaver is speaking out about her alleged texts with Lil Wayne ... saying she's just a single mom trying to cash in on some free trips.

Rachel tells us she had to do a double-take when she saw rapper Lil Wayne had responded to her drunken outreach ... adding she'd like to debunk any claims that she's a gold digger or "begging for a flight."

She says Wayne's millionaire status made taking him up on a free flight to come see him a no-brainer ... "I don't care if you're Lil Wayne or Joe on the corner ... you're paying for my flight ... that's how I roll, and that's just how it works."

Warren Hudson's family is sharing some of the threatening messages they say they've received since Nolan Wells' death ... and they certainly sound alarming.

Warren's dad, Benjamin Hudson, sent audio to the SunHerald that allegedly features the various threats people have called in, including one that says ... "Justice for Nolan Wells. Son for a son."

Another caller says Ben is the "father of a murderer."

A different voicemail, filled with profanities and vulgar insults, said ... "Don't run now." The caller also said the Hudson family is "gonna get what the (expletive) coming to you."

Paul Pierce's alleged texts going back and forth with his ex, Princess Santiago, over their newborn child have been revealed as part of their ongoing case over custody and support.

In new court docs, obtained TMZ, Princess attached a series of texts she says were sent between her and Paul.

In one alleged text, dated February 6, Princess says ... "I just wanted to let you know that your son is here. He was born today. If you'd like to see him tomorrow, let me know."

Princess, who appears not to have received a response from Paul, says she sent another text to him on February 15, which reads, "I gave you so many chances to do the right thing and not have to go down this path … you're letting history repeat itself, acting just like your father. My son will not be ignored or treated like the black sheep."

An Arizona man's fishing trip ended with him literally going up in flames ... after a federal wildlife officer deployed a Taser while he was standing beside a gas pump.

Clarence "Chuck" Coyl captured the absolutely terrifying July 16 confrontation on video at a gas station on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation ... with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officer pointing a Taser at him and demanding his ID.

Coyl asks, "What am I being arrested for?" ... and the officer tells him he's not cooperating after committing a crime.

That's when Coyl fires back, "A misdemeanor? A misdemeanor?" and starts to say, "It's a ten-dollar--" ... before the unmistakable crackle of the Taser cuts him off.

8/6/2026 1:09 PM PST -- Attorney J. Tyler Cox and defamation lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik tell TMZ in a joint statement ... We are proud to stand with and fight for three completely innocent young men: Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour. Starting today, those who wish to continue trafficking in lies about these Good Ocean Springs People will be held accountable to the maximum extent of the law. We, on the other hand, will be focused solely on the truth, which is that these innocent young men had nothing whatsoever to do with the tragic death of Nolan Wells.

Nolan Wells' friends have had enough of being accused online over his death ... and they're bringing in one of President Trump's heavy hitters to fight back.

"The Officer Tatum Show" host Brandon Tatum reports attorney J. Tyler Cox -- who represents three of the young men caught up in the case -- has enlisted prominent defamation lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik to help defend their names.

Paltzik has represented Trump in high-profile legal battles against CBS/Paramount, The New York Times, and BBC.

8/6/2026 11:56 AM PST -- According to multiple local outlets ... The Mississippi Board of Nursing has closed its investigation into an anonymous complaint filed against Nolan Wells' mom Christine Wonsley.

Nolan Wells' mom, Christine Wonsley, is having her professional conduct called into question ... but her family attorney Ben Crump says it's just a bogus intimidation tactic.

Here's the deal ... Crump announced Wednesday that the Mississippi Board of Nursing has undertaken a professional misconduct investigation into Christine's job performance based on an anonymous complaint filed against her after Nolan's mysterious death.

Crump says the complaint is a "warning shot at a grieving mother, meant to pressure and scare her into staying quiet." He says the person who filed it is too embarrassed to put their name on it.

The prosecutors who are trying to put Anna Kepner’s step-brother behind bars for murder obtained her Snapchat data from her final days … and say they have now handed it over to his defense team … TMZ has learned.

Court docs obtained by TMZ show prosecutors fired off a search warrant to obtain Anna’s messages and other info from her Snapchat and have now turned over the info to the defense.

The Snapchat messages are important because prosecutors have claimed Anna sent her final message on Snapchat at 8:14 p.m. The investigators say Anna’s brother Timothy Hudson, who was sharing the room with her, left the cabin at 10:13 PM and then returned at 11 PM.

A Florida man allegedly stole a teddy bear containing his ex-girlfriend's late son's ashes after she ended their three-week relationship ... and now he’s facing multiple felonies.

Online jail records show 31-year-old Justin Fountain was arrested Saturday and charged with six felonies, including cyberstalking, making threats, accessing an electronic device without permission and using a tracking device or app without consent.

WESH, citing an arrest report, says Fountain met the woman through Facebook Dating and allegedly refused to accept their breakup. Investigators say he continued contacting her and turning up at her hotel, workplace and a restaurant where she was eating with a friend, despite her telling him to stop.

Jared Leto apparently lost out on a major movie role last year ... with producers behind the political thriller "Assassination" ultimately passing on the actor as sexual misconduct allegations mounted.

Leto was deep in talks to join Barry Levinson's film before concerns about the accusations helped bring those discussions to an end ... according to Page Six.

The movie centers on journalist Dorothy Kilgallen's investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and her mysterious 1965 death. Jessica Chastain, Al Pacino, Bryan Cranston and Brendan Fraser are attached to star.

Leto's failed casting comes back into focus after even more allegations surfaced last week in the BBC documentary "Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret."

2:19 PM PT -- A rep for Tom Sandoval tells TMZ ... "In our society, sadly abuse against men is too often not taken as seriously as it should be. Physical assault is against the law, and verbal attacks, coercive control, and intimidation are abusive behaviors that are unacceptable regardless of gender."

The rep adds ... "While Victoria continues to deny the allegations, Tom's account is supported by eyewitnesses, including his band manager, and in some instances, video evidence.

Tom has remained committed to allowing the legal process to address these matters, and we are confident the facts and evidence will speak for themselves."

Tom Sandoval claims his ex, Victoria Lee Robinson, kicked him in the groin and questioned his manhood during a nasty altercation when they were still dating ... TMZ has learned.

The "Vanderpump Rules" alum submitted a new declaration Monday in his ongoing restraining order case against his ex, claiming the alleged groin-kick happened in October while he was on tour with his band "Tom Sandoval and the MOST Extras" in Florida.

Tom says after the concert ended, Victoria "kicked me repeatedly in the groin area while hurling expletives and insults toward me in the presence of my band mates, tour crew and fans."

He claims Victoria had "consumed drugs and alcohol to the point that venue security personnel had to physically carry her from the concert venue back to the tour bus" earlier in the night.

Phony toxicology reports in the Nolan Wells case are spreading across social media ... and people connected to the case are warning everyone not to fall for them.

Russell Latino -- who represents Nolan's friend Bart Edminson Jr. -- sounded the alarm on Facebook ... saying officials have not publicly released Nolan's toxicology results and some of the fakes circulating online look extremely real if you don't know what to watch for.

He ripped the broader disinformation surrounding Nolan's death ... saying it undermines the actual investigation and adding ... "Someone's death should not be your entertainment. Touch grass today."

Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell backed him up in a separate Facebook post ... confirming the purported reports making the rounds are fraudulent.

A resurfaced video of D4vd wearing a fake blood stained shirt -- all to promote his album -- is getting major attention online as he gears up for his trial in the alleged murder of Celeste Rivas.

The video features the singer -- whose real name is David Anthony Burke -- wearing a fake blood-stained shirt, in which he sold as merch to fans, as he's purchasing laundry detergent in order to promote his upcoming album.

The clip has resurfaced as details from Burke's recent preliminary hearing in the alleged murder of Celeste have drawn public attention.