Three individuals have been charged with making threats against a judge, a witness, and local officials connected to the ongoing investigation into the death of Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found deceased after a July Fourth boating excursion.
The charges come amid heightened scrutiny and speculation surrounding the investigation into Wells' death, exacerbated by unanswered questions about his final hours, public distrust of law enforcement, and the region's history of racial violence. Wells, who was Black, had been on an island off Mississippi's Gulf Coast with a group of white high school friends. He was reported missing that evening and his body was discovered two days later.
Authorities have not yet made arrests or identified suspects in connection with Wells' death. An independent autopsy commissioned by his family has determined the cause of death to be “undetermined” pending further investigation.
Alleged Threats Detail
Among those charged is Edward James Porter, of Illinois, who allegedly made death threats against a witness and threatened to dismember another individual. Porter was federally charged on July 31 with threatening a witness, identified by their attorney as a family member of Bart Edminston Jr., who had provided assistance to the boat used on July Fourth. According to an affidavit, Porter also allegedly told another person in Mississippi that he would dismember them and place the remains in a suitcase.
Michelle Francine Edwards, of Ohio, faces charges for allegedly making bomb threats to the George County Chancery Clerk's Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on July 23. Records indicate she called the clerk's office 21 times, stating, “the clock is ticking.”
Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, of California, was charged on July 14 for allegedly sending a threatening Facebook message to a Jackson County Chancery Court judge involved in the Wells investigation. An affidavit states that a Facebook user, believed to be Dumarce, sent a message to the judge's account containing a threat of mailing a bomb to the judge's office.
Judge Ashlee Cole, whose son last saw Wells on July Fourth, had previously posted a screenshot of the threatening message on Facebook, expressing fear for her children's safety. Cole stated that her son had fully cooperated with the sheriff's investigation and that her family was not attempting to impede the investigation or the pursuit of answers.