Three people charged with making threats in Nolan Wells case

Three people are facing charges for reportedly threatening a judge, a witness and local officials tied to the investigation of Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old found dead after a July 4 boat trip with friends to a Mississippi island. 

The threats come as an independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family found his cause of death to be "undetermined."

Charges in Nolan Wells case

What we know:

None of the three appear to know the Wells family or anyone else connected to the investigation.

Edward James Porter of Illinois is accused of calling an unnamed witness on July 31 and threatening to kill them and their family, according to police reports. Porter also reportedly told another person in Mississippi in a phone call that he would cut them up and put them "into a suitcase." Porter was charged for the threat on July 31 in federal court for the Southern District of Mississippi.

Michelle Francine Edwards of Ohio was also charged with allegedly placing bomb threats at the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office on July 23.  Edwards allegedly called the clerk’s office 21 times and said, "the clock is ticking," according to an affidavit.

Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was charged on July 14 for allegedly sending a threatening Facebook message to a Jackson County Chancery Court judge with ties to the Wells investigation. Police records say a Facebook user believed to be Dumarce sent a message to the judge’s account that constituted a "threat that a bomb would be mailed to the judge’s office."

Judge Ashlee Cole posted a screenshot of Dumarce’s threatening message on Facebook on July 9. Cole wrote in an earlier 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." Cole wrote that she deactivated her Facebook and that she fears for the safety of her children.

What they're saying:

"No one in our family is trying in any way to impede with the investigation by law enforcement or to otherwise hamper the family and law enforcement’s quest for answers," Cole wrote, adding that her son "cooperated fully" with the sheriff’s investigation. 

What happened to Nolan Wells? 

The backstory:

Wells, who played wide receiver on the Southwest Mississippi Community College football team, traveled by boat to Horn Island, Mississippi, on July 4 with a group of friends, but didn’t make the return trip with them that afternoon. 

According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Wells’ mother had called to report him missing around midnight into the morning of July 5. A search ensued, and his body was found on the beach on the northwest tip of Horn Island early Monday morning, more than a day later.

RELATED: Nolan Wells' family calls for further investigation: 'It's not adding up'

Investigators have said they don’t suspect foul play in Wells’ death, but his case has fueled rampant speculation and suspicion online. Ben Crump, an attorney representing the Wells family, has said it appears Wells was the only Black person on the island that day. 

Authorities have not made any arrests or named any suspects. 

Independent autopsy results

Dig deeper:

An independent autopsy commissioned by Wells’ family found the cause of death to be "undetermined." 

The autopsy report showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries. It described a "red discoloration" in the back of Wells’ skull as "inconclusive" and meriting further investigation.

Without further information, the forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, wrote that he could not rule out the possibility that "non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death."

Crime and Public SafetyMississippi