Edward James Porter, an Illinois man, is reportedly the third person arrested for allegedly making threats in the Nolan Wells investigation, as Mississippi official Sean Tindell says the circulating toxicology report labeled as the late teen’s is fraudulent.
RELATED: Cincinnati Woman Reportedly Charged After Allegedly Making Bomb Threats To Mississippi Officials & Jackson County Officers Amid Nolan Wells Investigation
Illinois Man Third Arrested For Alleged Threats
According to the Sun Herald, Edward James Porter has also been charged in a federal criminal complaint. This, for allegedly “transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce to kill or injure two witnesses” connected to the Nolan Wells case.
Per Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Christopher Kloc, Porter threatened two witnesses via phone calls and texts on Friday, July 31. Specifically, he allegedly told one witness he had their home address and was going to “come kill” them and their family. From there, he allegedly texted the witness their address. Additionally, Porter allegedly called a second witness, threatened to kill them, cut up their body, and stuff them into a suitcase.
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The arrest of Edward James Porter arrived days after Cincinnati woman Michelle Francine Edwards was charged with “transmitting in interstate commerce a threatening communication to kill or injure another person and to damage or destroy a building,” per The Shade Room. Edwards allegedly directed her threats toward the George County Chancery Clerk’s Office and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to this, California man Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was charged with “interstate transmission of a threatening communication,” per The Shade Room. Durmace allegedly directed his threats toward Chancery Judge Ashlee Cole, the mother of a teen who traveled to Horn Island with Nolan Wells on July 4.
Mom Of Teen Who Was On Horn Island With Nolan Xavier Wells Says Family Is Receiving Death Threats: “We Also Want To Know What Happened”
Mississippi Official Says Circulating Nolan Wells Toxicology Report Is “Fraudulent”
According to PEOPLE, the past weekend also marked the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell addressing a circulating toxicology report.
“The purported toxicology report from Nolan Wells circulating through social media on various outlets is fraudulent. Nolan’s family, friends, and most importantly, Nolan himself, deserve better. Fraudsters, AI, and social media are a recipe for disaster. All they want you to do is click and share, don’t!” he stated via Facebook.
Furthermore, on August 1, Bart Edmiston’s lawyer, Russell Latino, also addressed the “phony” toxicology reports via Facebook.
“There are phony toxicology reports on Nolan Wells circulating now. Some of them are very well done if you don’t know what to look for. (They look very real). The disinformation campaigns in this case are wild and candidly undermine the actual investigation. Someone’s death should not be your entertainment. Touch grass today,” he wrote.
To note, the Wells’ family attorney, Ben Crump, also addressed the “fake toxicology report” via X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Mississippi officials say a fake toxicology report about Nolan Xavier Wells has been circulating online, while the official report has not yet been publicly released. Misinformation only deepens this grieving family’s pain. We must remain focused on the facts and ensure Nolan’s family receives the truth they have been waiting for,” he wrote.
Mississippi officials say a fake toxicology report about Nolan Xavier Wells has been circulating online, while the official report has not yet been publicly released. Misinformation only deepens this grieving family’s pain. We must remain focused on the facts and ensure Nolan’s…
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) August 3, 2026
Nolan Wells’ Mom Speaks On Intoxication Rumors
On Friday, July 31, Nolan Wells’ mom, Christine Wonsley, appeared on a livestream with Don Lemon. During this livestream, she spoke about rumors alleging her son was “sloppy drunk,” or heavily intoxicated, on Horn Island on July 4. In footage captured by TMZ, Wonsley said: “There are so many conflicting stories.”
“Only because I have spoken with adults who knew Nolan very well — coaches that were out there. One in particular, he told me he saw Nolan somewhere between 2:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. He was like… and he was like, ‘He was perfectly fine,'” Wonsley recalled.
