A deranged Illinois man allegedly threatened to kill two witnesses involved in the investigation into the death of student-athlete Nolan Wells — even vowing to butcher one of their bodies and stuff it in a suitcase, according to court documents.
In a series of disturbing calls and text messages on Friday, Edward Porter, from Berwyn, allegedly told one witness that he knew their Mississippi address and would come and murder their family, court documents obtained by the Sun Herald charged.
He also allegedly threatened the lives of a second witness’ family and vowed to kill “any cops” who responded to the scene.
Porter told the witness that he was “going to cut [them] up and put [them] into a suitcase,” according to the court docs.
Neither witness has been identified.
Investigators were able to link the cell number to Porter after subpoenaing records from Boost Mobile.
Porter faces up to five years in prison after being slapped with a charge of transmitting a threatening communication in interstate commerce to kill or injure, the Sun Herald reported.
He is the third person to be charged over alleged threats to witnesses involved in the Wells probe.
Michelle Francine Edwards, from Cincinnati, Ohio, allegedly made bomb threats to Mississippi government buildings using a blocked number, WBTV reported.
The George County Chancery Clerk’s Office received 21 calls from a blocked number in the span of eight minutes that day, with the caller allegedly warning, “Do not go outside” and “The clock is ticking.”
Edwards then allegedly called the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, where she allegedly said, “Y’all got a bomb outside” and “Don’t come outside b—h.”
The threats forced the sheriff’s office to go into lockdown.
Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was also hit with an interstate transmission of a threatening communication charge after he allegedly sent a series of threatening messages to Judge Ashlee Cole, the stepmom of one of Wells’ friends.
Cole was allegedly peppered with death threats and warned about bombs being sent to her home.
Promising student-athlete Wells was found dead on July 6 on Horn Island, a thin barrier island of Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, two days after going on an ill-fated boat trip with his pals.
He decided to stay on the island instead of returning to the mainland after the boat they were on had an issue with the bilge pump, according to Cole.
Questions have since swirled over his death, and two autopsies — one state and the other independent — were carried out.
Wells’ state autopsy has been completed, but the results have not yet been released to the public.
The independent autopsy, commissioned by the lawyers representing Wells’ family, found that the teenager’s cause and manner of death were “undetermined pending investigation.”
But the doctor couldn’t rule out foul play, attorney Ben Crump said.
Wells was found with a mark on the back of his head and his body suffered significant decomposition.
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