Three Individuals Charged with Threatening Witnesses in Death Investigation

Three people now face charges for allegedly threatening witnesses linked to the investigation of Mississippi teenager Nolan Wells’ death. Court documents obtained by NBC News reveal that Edward James Porter, one of the accused, made several threats on July 31 to two witnesses. According to a probable cause affidavit, Porter threatened to kill the witnesses and their families. He said he knew their addresses and threatened one witness with dismemberment.

Nolan Wells was discovered dead on July 6 at the northwest tip of Mississippi’s Horn Island. He had gone there on July 4 with a group of friends. The gathering was cut short as their boat began taking on water, and Wells opted to stay behind for another ride. That was the last time his friends saw him.

When Wells did not return home, his mother and a friend reported him missing. The family’s lawyer, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, has expressed suspicion about the circumstances of Wells’ death. Crump questioned if race played a role, noting Wells was among a few Black people present. He dismissed the idea that Wells, who could swim well and was athletic, drowned. NBC News sought a comment from Crump.

Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce also faces charges after allegedly sending threatening Facebook messages to a Jackson County Chancery Court judge on July 11. A probable cause affidavit includes a screenshot showing “yaeyae962” threatening a bomb delivery to the judge’s office. Authorities linked the account to Dumarce.

A day after Wells’ death, a Facebook post by Ashlee Cole, the mother of a friend present during the incident and a Jackson County judge, indicated her son was cooperating with authorities. Charging documents identify the victim as “A.C.” Cole later shared screenshots of threats from “yaeyae962” consistent with court documents.

A third individual, Michelle Francine Edwards, is charged with issuing a bomb threat to the George County chancery clerk’s office on July 23. Edwards conveyed a second threat to the Jackson County sheriff’s office later that day. She allegedly called more than 20 times within eight minutes, issuing warnings such as “do not go outside” and “the clock is ticking.” The Jackson County sheriff received similar warnings.

Currently, no attorney is listed for Porter, Dumarce, or Edwards. NBC News contacted the Jackson County public defender’s office for comments on these cases.