Michelle Francine Edwards Charged For Making Bomb Threats

Michelle Francine Edwards, an Ohio woman, is facing federal charges after allegedly making a series of bomb threats targeting Mississippi government offices amid the ongoing investigation into the death of Nolan Wells.

According to investigators, Edwards allegedly made 29 threatening phone calls while using a blocked caller ID, repeatedly referencing bombs. Her arrest comes as state officials continue investigating the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, making her the second person in recent weeks to face federal charges for allegedly threatening Mississippi officials connected to the high-profile case.

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Michelle Francine Edwards bomb threats: What happened?

According to federal court filings obtained by People and WBTV, Edwards, of Cincinnati, was charged on July 30, with transmitting in interstate commerce a threatening communication to kill or injure another person and to damage or destroy a building.

Investigators allege Edwards first targeted the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office on July 23, beginning at approximately 1:34 p.m. local time. Using *67 to conceal her caller ID, she allegedly placed 21 calls over an eight-minute span, during which she threatened employees and repeatedly referenced a bomb.

“Do not go outside,” she said in one call, according to the filing.

“The clock is ticking,” she said in another.

“Die,” Edwards said in yet another call.

Roughly 20 minutes later, investigators allege Edwards began calling the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, which is leading the investigation into Wells’ death.

Authorities say she again blocked her caller ID and placed approximately eight calls to the sheriff’s office, allegedly telling dispatchers, “Y’all got a bomb outside. Don’t come outside, b—-.”

“Y’all still there?” she asked in a subsequent call, according to investigators.

Authorities found no indication of a bomb threat. 

Following the threats, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a full bomb sweep and placed the property on lockdown. No explosive devices were found.

Investigators later submitted an emergency disclosure request to C-Spire and Verizon, which provided the phone number allegedly used to make the calls. Using open-source records, authorities determined the number was linked to a Cash App account associated with the name Michelle Edwards.

Per WBTV authorities also noted that “said cell tower data from the night of the incident showed the device associated with the number had ‘bedded down’ near Edwards’ known addresses in Cincinnati, Ohio.”

Michelle Francine Edwards is the second person arrested in connection with threats made against Mississippi public officials and government offices in the weeks following Wells’ disappearance and death. The 18-year-old went missing after attending a large Fourth of July party on Horn Island, just off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, and was later found dead.

Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was also arrested and charged for making bomb threats.

Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was also arrested and charged on Thursday, July 30, with interstate transmission of a threatening communication, according to WLOX and People.

Authorities allege Dumarce, 27, sent multiple threatening Facebook Messenger messages to Ashlee Cole, a Jackson County chancery judge and the mother of one of the friends who was with Wells at the time of his disappearance.

“There will be a package coming to your guys office in the next few days,” Dumarce allegedly wrote to Cole, according to The Sacramento Bee. “It’s gonna blow you away when you see it. LoL. Probably best to have the boys there to see as well.”

Federal investigators said they were able to identify Dumarce through the email address associated with his Facebook account.

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