Third Arrest Made In Nolan Wells Case

One month after Nolan Wells disappeared and was found dead on Horn Island in Mississippi, garnering nationwide attention around the circumstances surrounding his death and the “friends” he was last seen with, a third person has been arrested for allegedly threatening witnesses in the highly controversial case.

After celebrating July 4 with his friends, the 18-year-old, a student and wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College, was found dead on the northwest end of the island on July 6 and identified using dental records.

Since then, his family has received death threats and faced online abuse, with Nolan’s mother, Christine Wonsley, revealing that they have received anonymous hate mail.

RELATED CONTENT: ‘Not Bold Enough To List Your Return Address’ — Nolan Wells’ Mother Claps Back At Hate Mail Mocking Ben Crump & Al Sharpton

Most recently, Edward James Porter, 40, was arrested on charges of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, the Sun Herald and WXXV 25 reported on Tuesday, Aug. 4, citing court records.

According to court documents obtained by the Sun Herald and WXXV 25, Porter allegedly told a witness he would “come kill” them and their family, then sent the witness their home address to show that he knew where they lived.

Two other people have already been arrested on similar charges connected to the case.

On Thursday, July 30, Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce, 27, of Sacramento, Calif., was arrested on a charge of interstate transmission of threatening communication for allegedly threatening Judge Ashlee Cole, the stepmother of Nolan’s friend Warren Hudson, who was on Horn Island with him.

Dumarce is accused of sending Cole a message on Facebook, claiming he had sent her a package that “would blow you away,” investigators said, according to a USA Today report.

Michelle Francine Edwards of Cincinnati, Ohio, has also been arrested on the same charge after allegedly calling the George County clerk’s office several times in July and making bomb threats, including saying “the clock is ticking,” according to a criminal complaint previously cited by the Sun Herald.

It wasn’t immediately clear if any of them have entered pleas or retained attorneys to speak on their behalf.

Nolan’s death has sparked discussions about race and interracial friendships because he was the only Black person among a group of all-white people who all returned from the island without incident.

After learning that Nolan left his phone with friends and stayed on Horn Island while the rest of the group left by boat, his family became concerned. Hudson previously said the phone was later returned to them.

Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells’ family, questioned why a teenager would put a phone down, while Nolan’s parents have said their son leaving his phone on the boat is very uncharacteristic.

No charges have been filed in connection with Nolan’s death. The official state autopsy has been completed, but its findings have not been made public or shared with his family, according to their attorney.

It’s interesting how authorities have been able to figure out who sent death threats to the witnesses, press charges, and make arrests, but not anyone who’s threatened Nolan’s family. Just another example of the many inequities that this case continues to expose.

RELATED CONTENT: Nolan Wells Didn’t Just Break Our Hearts — He Reminded Black Parents Why We’ve Always Said ‘No’ [Op-Ed]