Allegations of Threats Linked to Nolan Wells Lead to Arrests

WHO:

USA Today - Joseph Dumarce, 27, charged with sending threats to Ashlee Cole, a chancery judge in Mississippi.

USA Today - Ashlee Cole is the mother of Warren Hudson, a friend of Nolan Wells.

USA Today - Francine Edwards, 41, arrested for making bomb threats in Mississippi.

Yahoo News Canada - Nolan Wells, 18, went missing during a boat trip and was later found dead.

WHAT:

USA Today - Dumarce faces one felony count for threatening Cole, with a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.

USA Today - Dumarce allegedly sent messages stating he would send a package that “would blow you away” and mentioned “So much blood everywhere.”

USA Today - Edwards is charged with threatening interstate communication in Mississippi federal court.

USA Today - Wells' family has faced threats and harassment amid the investigation into his death.

WHERE:

USA Today - Dumarce was booked into the Sacramento County Jail in California.

USA Today - Wells went missing near Horn Island, Mississippi.

USA Today - Edwards made threats to the George County Chancery Clerk and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi.

WHEN:

USA Today - Dumarce was booked on July 29, 2026.

USA Today - Wells' body was found two days after he went missing.

USA Today - A grand jury returned an indictment against Dumarce on July 28, 2026.

USA Today - Edwards was arrested on July 31, 2026.

WHY:

USA Today - The threats are linked to the investigation into Nolan Wells' death, which his family believes may be dismissed as an accidental drowning.

HOW:

USA Today - The FBI traced Dumarce's threatening messages to a Facebook account linked to his email and phone number.

USA Today - Dumarce's previous criminal history includes arrests for exposing himself and attempting to kidnap a minor.

(UPDATED August 2, 2026 20:09 UTC)

Joseph Dumarce, 27, has been charged with sending threats to Ashlee Cole, a chancery judge in Mississippi, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for his alleged messages that included violent imagery. Meanwhile, Francine Edwards, 41, was arrested for making bomb threats related to the investigation into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, who went missing during a boat trip and was later found dead near Horn Island, Mississippi. The threats against Wells' family have raised concerns that his death may be dismissed as an accidental drowning, prompting law enforcement to investigate further, with the FBI tracing Dumarce's messages back to his social media accounts.