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A third suspect, Edward James Porter, has been arrested in connection with the investigation into the death of Nolan Wells in Mississippi. Porter, aged 40, is accused of making multiple threats to two witnesses on Thursday (July 31), according to court documents. He allegedly made several calls threatening to kill the witnesses and their families, even sending one witness their home address to show he knew their location.
Porter is charged with transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, as reported by the Sun Herald and WXXV 25. This arrest follows the earlier charges against Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce and Michelle Francine Edwards, who were involved in making bomb threats related to the case. Dumarce allegedly threatened Judge Ashlee Cole, while Edwards made bomb threats to the George County Chancery Clerk's Office and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
The case has garnered national attention due to the circumstances surrounding Wells' death. He disappeared on Horn Island during a Fourth of July celebration and was found dead on July 6. The investigation has been complicated by racial tensions, as Wells was the only Black person in his group.
No charges have been filed regarding Wells' disappearance or death. The official state autopsy has been completed, but its findings have not been made public. Wells' family, represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, has received support from public figures like Tyler Perry and Colin Kaepernick. The family continues to seek answers and justice for Wells.