Three Individuals Face Charges for Threatening Officials in Wells Case
WHO:
PBS - Three individuals charged: Edward James Porter (Illinois), Michelle Francine Edwards (Ohio), Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce (California).
PBS - Bart Edminston Jr., a 21-year-old who knew Nolan Wells and provided aid to the boat used on July Fourth.
PBS - Judge Ashlee Cole, who has ties to the Wells investigation.
WHAT:
The Washington Post - An independent autopsy commissioned by Wells' family found the 18-year-old's cause of death to be "undetermined" pending further investigation.
The Washington Post - Judge Ashlee Cole wrote in a Facebook post that her son last saw Wells on July Fourth around 3 p.m. and decided to "stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends."
The Washington Post - Cole wrote that she deactivated her Facebook and that she fears for the safety of her children.
PBS - Three people charged with threatening a judge, a witness, and local officials connected to the investigation into the death of Nolan Xavier Wells.
PBS - Edward James Porter allegedly threatened to kill a witness and their family on July 31 and made another threat to cut someone up and put them "into a suitcase."
PBS - Michelle Francine Edwards allegedly placed bomb threats at the George County Chancery Clerk's Office and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office on July 23, calling 21 times and stating, "the clock is ticking."
PBS - Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce charged for allegedly sending a threatening Facebook message to Judge Ashlee Cole, stating a "threat that a bomb would be mailed to the judge's office."
WHERE:
PBS - The investigation is connected to the death of Nolan Xavier Wells, found off the coast of an uninhabited island near Mississippi's Gulf Coast.
PBS - Threats made in Mississippi and Ohio.
WHEN:
PBS - Nolan Xavier Wells was found dead two days after a July Fourth boat trip.
PBS - Edward James Porter was charged on July 31 in federal court for the Southern District of Mississippi.
PBS - Michelle Francine Edwards made bomb threats on July 23.
PBS - Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was charged on July 14.
WHY:
The Washington Post - The threats arose amid rampant speculation and scrutiny of the investigation, deepened in part by uncertainty surrounding Wells' final hours, distrust of law enforcement, and the state's long history of racist violence.
PBS - The threats arose amid speculation and scrutiny of the investigation into Wells' death, fueled by distrust of law enforcement and the state's history of racist violence.
HOW:
PBS - Porter allegedly made threats via phone calls, while Edwards made threats through repeated phone calls to government offices, and Dumarce used Facebook to send a threatening message.
(UPDATED August 7, 2026 03:57 UTC)
An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of 18-year-old Wells has determined his cause of death to be "undetermined" pending further investigation. Judge Ashlee Cole shared on Facebook that her son last saw Wells on July Fourth around 3 p.m. and chose to stay on the island, returning inland later with friends, while expressing her fears for her children's safety amid growing threats linked to the scrutiny of the investigation and a history of distrust in law enforcement.
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(UPDATED August 7, 2026 00:59 UTC)
Three individuals have been charged with threatening a judge, a witness, and local officials involved in the investigation into the death of Nolan Xavier Wells, whose body was found near Mississippi's Gulf Coast. Edward James Porter allegedly threatened to kill a witness and their family, while Michelle Francine Edwards made bomb threats to government offices, and Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce sent a threatening Facebook message to Judge Ashlee Cole. The charges stem from a series of threats made amid growing scrutiny of the investigation, reflecting deep-seated distrust of law enforcement in the area.