Federal authorities have charged three individuals across three states with making death threats and bomb threats against a judge, investigators, and witnesses connected to the ongoing high-profile investigation into the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells in Mississippi.
Federal Charges Filed Over Threats to Judge and Witnesses
The investigation into the July 2026 death of Nolan Wells has expanded beyond forensic questions into the federal court system, where prosecutors have filed criminal complaints against three out-of-state residents accused of threatening authorities and individuals associated with the case. According to unsealed court documents, none of the three defendants knew Wells, his family, or anyone involved in the local proceedings.
The first complaint was lodged on July 14 in a federal court in Mississippi against Joseph Dumarce of Sacramento, California. Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Brodey Gibson alleged that Dumarce sent a threatening Facebook message on July 11 to the office of Jackson County Chancery Judge Ashlee Cole, threatening to send an explosive package that would leave so much blood everywhere
. Investigators tracked the message through a social media account and associated email addresses to locate Dumarce. Judge Cole subsequently shared an online screenshot of the message before deactivating her Facebook account out of safety concerns.
Escalating Threats Target Clerks and Investigators
A second criminal complaint targeted Ohio resident Michelle Edwards, who allegedly placed a rapid succession of threatening phone calls on July 23. Jackson County Sheriff’s Office investigator Jonathan Rayner stated in court records that Edwards used a blocked number to call the George County Chancery Clerk’s office 21 times in an eight-minute window. During those calls, she allegedly delivered chilling warnings, telling office personnel to heed specific phrases.
Half an hour after contacting the clerk’s office, Edwards allegedly dialed the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office eight times in 18 minutes, warning law enforcement that Y’all got a bomb outside, don’t come outside b—-h
. A third complaint was issued on July 30 against Edward Porter of Illinois, who allegedly contacted a witness in the Wells investigation and threatened to kill them, later threatening to dismember a second witness according to FBI officer Christopher Cloc. Those threats targeted family members of Bart Edminston Jr., a 21-year-old who knew Wells and provided aid to the boating party on July 4, represented by attorney Russell Latino.
Independent Autopsy Leaves Cause of Death Undetermined
The wave of threats coincides with intense public scrutiny surrounding the death of Wells, an 18-year-old college football player who vanished on July 4 during a boat trip to Mississippi’s Horn Island with three white high school friends. His body was discovered face down in shallow water by a park ranger on Monday, July 6. In response to family concerns over early sheriff statements labeling the incident an accidental drowning, the Wonsleys hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump—with funding from Colin Kaepernick—to retain forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell for an independent autopsy performed on July 10.
At the 117th NAACP National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday, July 22, Crump released preliminary findings showing the cause and manner of death remain undetermined due to advanced decomposition and limitations inherent in a secondary examination. While Dr. Mitchell found no bone fractures or deep tissue injuries in the face, neck, ribs, pelvis, back, or limbs, he documented a 12-inch-by-8-inch red discoloration in the soft tissue over the occipital bone on the back of the head, though skin and skull beneath showed no injury.
Forensic Limitations and the Search for Answers
The independent examiner noted significant procedural barriers. Because the state’s initial autopsy had already dissected vital organs and retained internal neck structures such as the trachea and larynx, Dr. Mitchell was unable to fully inspect the airway, lungs, stomach, or neck structures, leaving non-accidental trauma such as neck compression difficult to completely rule out. Dr. Mitchell outlined seven key questions for investigators, emphasizing that knowing why someone entered the water is vital especially important for those deaths of persons who can swim, as is the case with Nolan Wells.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter stated that his office’s investigation remains active and has involved interviews with dozens of individuals present on Horn Island, with assistance from the FBI. Once the sheriff’s office concludes its work, findings will be sent to the district attorney’s office for presentation to a grand jury—standard procedure for unusual deaths in the county rather than an indication of criminal charges. Meanwhile, family members have pointed to missing cellphone data and inconsistent witness timelines, while rewards exceeding $100,000 have been offered for information to help establish a precise timeline.
