Mainland departure
MDMR’s summarized GPS chronology records MI4088BU leaving the mainland.
Short answer
The public record establishes the trip, several vessel movements, the search, and the recovery. It does not establish what happened to Nolan during the final unresolved period on Horn Island.
The narrowest defensible reconstruction places the critical gap between approximately 3:45 PM and 4:31 PM on July 4, 2026. The precise order of the altercation, circulated video, Sea Tow call, witness departures, and Nolan’s last known movements has not been independently authenticated minute by minute.
Verified vessel anchors
What official GPS records support
Horn Island arrival
The same tracked vessel arrives at Horn Island’s west end.
Movement from the island
The tracked vessel begins moving. GPS alone does not identify its occupants.
Normal-speed movement
The MDMR chronology records the vessel traveling at normal speed.
Mainland return
The official chronology records the tracked vessel back at the mainland.
Primary basis: MDMR RMS Report MP2607-0016. The obtained packet summarizes GPS milestones but is not the native Garmin export.
Witness and media sequence
What is reported, but not independently timed to the minute
- Before 11:14 AM: Tracestin Shepherd says Nolan called for help locating where to anchor. The approximate time is based on his public recollection.
- Early afternoon: Nolan reportedly swims and socializes among the boats. A circulated photograph supports his presence but does not supply an authenticated capture time.
- Around 3:00 PM: Warren says this was about the last time he personally saw Nolan. This is a witness estimate, not an official timestamp.
- Around 3:30 PM: Tracestin says he was involved in an altercation and was forced back aboard his family’s separate boat.
- Around 4:00 PM: A released distress call reports bilge-pump failure, water ingress, and approximately seven people aboard the distressed vessel.
- Around 4:01 PM, reported: The circulated Horn Island video records Tracestin yelling. The original device file and native metadata are not public.
- Before 4:31 PM: Public witness accounts say Nolan remained on or near the island and did not leave with one group. The exact words, time, and complete listener set remain unresolved.
Central evidence gap
What remains unknown between approximately 3:45 PM and 4:31 PM
- Nolan’s precise location and movements throughout the interval.
- The authenticated minute-by-minute order of the altercation, video, distress call, and departures.
- The complete passenger manifest for each relevant vessel at each stage.
- Who personally heard Nolan’s reported decision to remain and the exact words used.
- Whether additional original video, phone, dispatch, GPS, or witness records resolve the gap.
Examine the timeline gaps → Open the missing-evidence tracker →
Search and recovery
July 4–6, 2026
Nolan’s family was contacted later on July 4, 2026, after friends realized he had not returned. Search activity expanded on July 5, 2026. Nolan’s body was recovered from the water near Horn Island’s northwestern end on the morning of July 6, 2026. The publicly reported recovery time is approximate in this archive unless tied to a specific obtained official entry.
How to verify this summary
Core records and source trail
- Official MDMR RMS report MP2607-0016 — officer narratives, CAD information, search notes, vessel records, and summarized GPS chronology.
- Master Investigation Notes — the controlling editorial record for classifications, confidence, and unresolved claims.
- Full evidence event log — each event’s claims, sources, known facts, unknowns, and needed evidence.
- Sea Tow / dispatch audio and transcript — released publication, channel-separated excerpts, and limitations.
- Tracestin interview transcript and Warren interview transcripts — named public witness accounts.
- Methodology and corrections — independence, sourcing, labeling, revisions, and correction process.