Three people charged with threatening judge, witness and officials tied to Nolan Wells investigation

Three Individuals Face Charges for Threats Linked to Nolan Wells Case

Qwenews.com – Prosecutors have filed charges against three individuals accused of threatening a judge, a witness, and local government officials involved in the inquiry surrounding the death of Nolan Xavier Wells. The teenager, who was 18 years old, was discovered deceased following a July 4th excursion to an island near Mississippi’s Gulf Coast with companions.

According to reports, none of the accused individuals have any known connection to Wells, his relatives, or the boating community. The threats emerged during a period of intense public speculation regarding the investigation, which has been complicated by questions about the teen’s final hours, skepticism toward law enforcement, and Mississippi’s historical patterns of racial violence.

Background on the Investigation

Wells, who is Black, journeyed to the uninhabited island alongside a group of white high school friends. He failed to return to the mainland with his companions on the evening of the trip. Searchers located his body two days later in waters near the island. To date, authorities have not identified any suspects or made arrests related to the case.

An independent autopsy arranged by the family determined the cause of death as “undetermined,” pending additional investigation. Efforts to contact the three defendants for statements have not been successful. Several phone numbers cited in affidavits proved inactive, while calls to another number went unanswered. Correspondence sent via email to addresses associated with one defendant also received no response. It remains unknown whether the individuals have legal representation.

Details of the Charges

Edward James Porter of Illinois allegedly contacted an unnamed witness on July 31 and threatened to kill both the witness and their family members, according to an affidavit. In a separate phone conversation, Porter reportedly told another Mississippi resident that he would dismember them and place their remains “into a suitcase.” Federal court officials in the Southern District of Mississippi charged Porter on July 31 for the threat.

Porter also threatened two members of Bart Edminston Jr.’s family. Edminston, a 21-year-old who knew Wells, assisted the boat that carried the group on July 4. Family attorney Russell Latino noted that one of the threatened family members serves as a witness in the Wells investigation.

Michelle Francine Edwards, an Ohio resident, faces charges for allegedly making bomb threats to both the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on July 23. An affidavit states that Edwards called the clerk’s office 21 times while declaring that “the clock is ticking.”

Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, a California man, was charged on July 14 for allegedly sending a threatening Facebook message to a Jackson County Chancery Court judge connected to the Wells case. According to an affidavit, a Facebook user believed to be Dumarce sent a message to the judge’s account that constituted a “threat that a bomb would be mailed to the judge’s office.”

Judge’s Response

Judge Ashlee Cole shared a screenshot of Dumarce’s threatening message on Facebook on July 9. In a previous post, Cole explained that her son last saw Wells on July 4 around 3 p.m. and chose to remain on the island before returning inland with another group of friends.

Cole announced that she had deactivated her Facebook account due to safety concerns for her children. She emphasized that her family is not obstructing the investigation.

“No one in our family is trying in any way to impede with the investigation by law enforcement or to otherwise hamper the family and law enforcement’s quest for answers,” Cole wrote, adding that her son “cooperated fully” with the sheriff’s investigation.