Three individuals have been charged with making threats against a judge, a witness, and local officials involved in the investigation of Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old who tragically died after a boat trip with friends to an island off the coast of Mississippi during the July Fourth holiday.
These three individuals do not appear to have any connection to Wells, his family, or the group of friends who were with him. Their threats have come amid intense public speculation and scrutiny regarding the investigation, which has been exacerbated by uncertainties about Wells’ final moments, a deep-rooted distrust of law enforcement, and Mississippi’s troubling history of racial violence.
Nolan Wells, who was Black, went on the trip with a group of mostly white friends. He did not return to the mainland with them, and his body was discovered two days later near the island’s coast.
As of now, authorities have not arrested any suspects in connection to Wells’ death. An independent autopsy commissioned by his family has found that the cause of death is “undetermined,” pending further investigation.
Attempts to contact the defendants for their comments have been unsuccessful. Some phone numbers listed for them are inactive, and emails sent to their addresses remain unanswered. It is unclear whether they have legal representation.
One defendant, Edward James Porter from Illinois, allegedly made a threatening phone call to a witness on July 31, where he reportedly threatened to kill them and their family. Additionally, he threatened another person in Mississippi, stating he would “cut them up and put them into a suitcase.” Porter has been charged in federal court for these threats.
Porter also threatened two family members of Bart Edminston Jr., a 21-year-old who provided assistance to the boat used by Wells’ group on July Fourth. According to family attorney Russell Latino, one of the threatened family members is a key witness in the investigation into Wells’ death.
In addition, Michelle Francine Edwards from Ohio has been charged for allegedly making bomb threats to both the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on July 23. Reports indicate she called the clerk’s office multiple times, ominously stating, “the clock is ticking.”
Furthermore, a California man named Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was charged on July 14 for allegedly sending a threatening message via Facebook to a judge involved in the Wells investigation. He reportedly threatened that a bomb would be mailed to the judge’s office.
Judge Ashlee Cole shared a screenshot of Dumarce’s message on her Facebook page on July 9. In her post, she revealed that her son saw Wells on July Fourth and decided to stay on the island a bit longer with another group of friends. Cole expressed her concerns for her family’s safety, stating that she had deactivated her Facebook account due to fear.
Cole clarified that her family is not trying to interfere with the investigation and emphasized that her son had been fully cooperative with law enforcement.
This case continues to develop, and many are hoping for clarity and justice in the wake of this tragedy.
