Tracestin Shepherd
ON THE RECORD · 12 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“I get that everybody wants justice for Nolan. Everybody wants to know exactly what happened.”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-13
Shepherd acknowledged the public desire for answers about Wells' disappearance and death.
“Our friend group had been planning to go to this party way before June 27, before it took place,”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-13
Shepherd confirmed the pool-party photograph was taken on Saturday, June 27, and explained the friend group had planned the outing in advance.
“He made sure everybody was included in everything and if you were somewhere, he made you feel welcome there,”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd remembers Wells as a gentle, respectful person who made everyone feel included.
“It’s me yelling — my exact wording is, ‘Get me off this fucking boat.’ I wanted to fight, and I’d felt like I hadn’t had my fair share.”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd says the yelling heard in the video was his own, not Wells's.
“I’m not just hurting because of Nolan, I’m also hurting because I call my friends and you can hear it in their voice that they’re terrified of what these people will do to them. It’s gone completely way too far.”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd says his friends are receiving death threats after online sleuths misconstrued the video.
“Everybody wants to know exactly what happened. Will we ever know?”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd asks whether the truth about what happened to Wells will ever be known.
“I’m tired of speculation, of not being able to talk, it’s time for somebody to start speaking up,”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd says he wants to correct the record after making his full statement to police.
“I told him he needed to mind his own business,”
Tracestin Shepherd · said 2026-07-11 · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd says he was waist-deep in the water having a disagreement with his girlfriend when an acquaintance criticized their conversation.
“He didn’t see any flaws you had, he only saw the positive you brought into his life, into the world. Whatever you did, if Nolan was friends with you, he was your biggest supporter.”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd describes Wells as someone who only saw the positive in his friends.
“I get that everybody wants justice for Nolan,”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd, in tears, says he understands everyone wants justice for Nolan.
“Those were not Nolan’s words, they were mine.”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd confirms to Rolling Stone that the words heard in the video were his, not Wells's.
“In that video, you hear somebody yelling — that is me,”
Tracestin Shepherd · said date not stated · reported 2026-07-12
Shepherd says the person yelling in the viral video is him.