A California man has been arrested after allegedly sending violent death threats to a Mississippi judge whose family has been linked to the ongoing investigation into the mysterious death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells.
Federal authorities have charged Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce with interstate transmission of a threatening communication. The offence carries a maximum possible sentence of five years in federal prison if he is convicted.
Investigators allege that Dumarce operated a Facebook account under the name “yaeyae962” and used it to send disturbing messages to Jackson County Chancery Judge Ashlee Cole.
Cole is the stepmother of Warren Hudson, one of the friends who travelled with Wells to Horn Island, Mississippi, on July 4, 2026. Wells failed to return from the trip, and his body was discovered in the water two days later.
According to charging documents reported by the media, the threatening messages allegedly warned Cole that a suspicious package would be delivered to her office. Other messages reportedly threatened her children and included photographs of members of her family.
Authorities reportedly identified the suspect after tracing information connected to the social media account, including email records, internet protocol addresses, a telephone number and residential details.
Cole had previously spoken publicly about the threats, revealing that messages directed at her family contained violent references and images of her children. She said the threats began as online speculation intensified following Wells’ death.
The arrest does not mean Dumarce has been accused of involvement in Wells’ death. His federal charge relates specifically to the alleged threatening communications, and he remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Meanwhile, the investigation into Wells’ death remains active. His family continues to demand answers about what happened after he travelled to Horn Island with friends and was reportedly left behind without his cellphone.
The case is expected to be presented to a Mississippi grand jury as investigators examine witness accounts, forensic evidence and the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s final hours.
The latest arrest sends a strong warning that threats, harassment and intimidation surrounding the highly emotional case could bring serious federal consequences.
