Third person charged for allegedly threatening witnesses in Nolan Wells investigation

U.S. newsThird person charged for allegedly threatening witnesses in Nolan Wells investigationWells was found dead on Mississippi’s Horn Island on July 6, two days after he and a group of friends went to celebrate Independence Day. Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00A picture of Nolan Wells displayed during his funeral at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Miss., on July 20.Ayrton Breckenridge / The Clarion Ledger / USA Today Network via ReutersShareAdd NBC News to GoogleAug. 5, 2026, 8:55 AM EDTBy Rebecca Cohen and Joe KottkeThree people have been charged for allegedly threatening witnesses in the investigation surrounding the death of Mississippi teen, Nolan Wells, in three different instances. One of the three defendants, Edward James Porter, is accused of making multiple threats to two witnesses on July 31, according to court documents obtained by NBC News. According to a probable cause affidavit, Porter made multiple calls to two witnesses, threatening to kill them and their families. He said he knew where they lived, and told the second witness he would cut them up and put them into a suitcase, the documents said. Nolan Wells was found dead on July 6 at the northwest tip of Mississippi’s Horn Island, just two days after he ventured to the area with a large group of friends to celebrate the July 4 holiday. His friends have told officials that they needed to leave the gathering early because their boat was taking on water, and that Wells had told them he wanted to stay behind and catch a later ride with other people. They say that’s when they last saw their friend. Nolan Xavier Wells on Horn Island off the Mississippi coast, on July 4.Jackson County Sheriff's DepartmentWhen he never returned home, Wells’ mother and one of his friends reported him missing to the authorities. The family’s lawyer, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, has since questioned the circumstances surrounding his death — calling into question whether race was a factor,...