The note was addressed to "Receptionist" and "Bank Manager" and referred to the man in front of her as "Bomb Hostage." Some people out there disagree, though. A still showing Brian Wells from Netflix's "Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist". According to Ken, Marjorie also killed James -- remember, he was her ex, who was found in Bills freezer -- because he threatened to tell police about her plot. Much like Rothstein, she also became a compulsive hoarder. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. But at a 2007 news conference that drew the ire of Wells family, prosecutors said he was not entirely innocent and had a limited role in planning the robbery. It was also Diehl-Armstrong who swapped the fake bomb for a real one. Brian Douglas Wells died at 3:18 PM on August 28, 2003. So the police traced the call for the two pepperoni pizzas to the transmission tower site and found Brians shoe impressions and tire marks there, but here the trail went cold. It may be that his role transitioned from that of the planning stages to being an unwilling participant in the scheme, Buchanan said. On the stand, Marjorie gave a long and rambling testimony (possibly a symptom of bipolar). The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections said Hoopsick had been in the state prison system for theft between May 2012 and July 2014, when she was paroled. Rob Thomas happened to die when Marjorie was 38--because she shot him SIX TIMES while he slept. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. A balding man with thick glasses, the only thing that made him stand out was his strange choice in attire. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. It was his ex-girlfriend, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, who had shot him. Marjorie was considered a child prodigy, was good at music and graduated at the top of her class. A few years later, though, the footage did leak out thanks to a Washington, D.C. radio shock-jock, who obtained the video from an unknown source and posted it on his website. The three-count indictment, returned on July 9, contains charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, armed bank robbery, and using and carrying a destructive device in a crime of violence. For cases such as these Personal Injury lawyers are used to build cases and file for compensation. Born in 1949, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong had lived in Erie, Pennsylvania all her life. Please consult us at Robert J. DeBry & Associates for a professional, experienced lawyer. Be the first one to comment on this story. A bizarre robbery plot involving mental illness, a love triangle and a ticking bomb placed around the neckof an unwilling robberleads to multiple murders. At a news conference announcing the indictments, Mary Beth Buchanan, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania at the time, said Wells had also been part of the plot. So it seemed like Brian had really been jumped, but the police obviously had to get to the bottom of it. Rothstein died of terminal cancer before he could face any charges, according to multiple news reports. While searching Marjories house, police managed to find two ads in the paper circled by Marjorie a few days before James murder. He found it, according to All That's Interesting. He claimed to have been attacked by a group of black men who he said tied the bomb to his body, court documents show. Whatever story youre conjuring up in your mind to go with pizza bomber," the reality is likely crazier. When questioned, Marjorie tried to pin Rothstein as the mastermind since he had already died. Your login session has expired. Wells had told police he had been forced to rob the bank. One of the sellers confirmed selling a gun to Marjorie and Bill. Philly.com says prosecutors had a witness, a prostitute who alleged that Brian often paid $15 to 20 to have sex with her at Bills house, but its only an allegation. A weird move for a guy who had a bomb unwillingly around his neck, forcing him to do the bidding of the people who forcibly put it there. He walked out about 12 minutes later with $8,702. He was also a part of the pizza collar bomb case. She had also been diagnosed with cancer, the Erie Times-News reported at the time. While waiting for the bomb squad to arrive, the collar bomb went off, and after a few struggling breaths, Wells died on the pavement he was seated on. "I'm not lying. Marjorie was apparently devastated by the death, and despite settling for $250,000 with the hospital in a medical malpractice case, Marjorie began to struggle even more with her mental illnesses. The people that Wells had met with by the broadcast tower were Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein, and Barnes. 1 day ago, by Chanel Vargas In 2008, Barnes was sentenced to 270 months for conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, according to FCI Coleman Low, the federal correctional facility where hes currently incarcerated in Florida. The scavenger hunt was intended to sell the hostage story and throw the police off. 4) William Ansel "Bill" Rothstein and Kenneth Barnes were also involved in the crime. 46 year old Brian Douglas Wells worked as a pizza delivery man at Mama Mia Pizzeria in Erie, Pennsylvania. In July 2007, a month shy of the four-year anniversary of Wells' death by collar bomb, the US attorney's office in Erie called a news conference about "a major development" in the case. Standing before a bank of TV cameras, US attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced that the investigation was over. About 12 minutes later, Wells left the bank with nearly $9,000 and headed to the McDonalds next door, where he retrieved another note from under a rock. The world was stunned when Brian Wells strode into a bank armed with a shotgun cane and with a bomb strapped around his neck Credit: SUN. The collar and box were a bomb, and they'd go off in 15 minutes if he didn't get the money, according to All That's Interesting. They were engaged in their 20s, but it didnt last. When questioned, Marjorie tried to pin Rothstein as the mastermind since he had already died. It also threatened bank employees and customers, then contained detailed, step-by-step instructions for gathering the money and giving it to the so-called Bomb Hostage. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. However, he was only able to get $8,702. If youre a fan of the Netflix show Black Mirror, the latest season has an episode where the plot revolves around an unseen person controlling others to do their bidding. 10. No one was charged as authorities struggled to determine who was behind the plot and whether Wells was an innocent victim or willing participant. . Three minutes before the bomb squad arrived, the collar detonated, tearing a hole in Wells' chest and killing him within moments, according to All That's Interesting. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Viewers of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered have been buzzing with curiosity to learn all about the strange 2003. Someone might have taken it, but investigators believe that it was probably never there at all. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. Im not lying. He handed the teller a note demanding $250,000. Watch the 23rd episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered season 8, which arrives exclusively on Oxygen on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at 7.00 pm Eastern Time. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". By the end of 2004, Marjorie was determined as knowing the difference between right and wrong, and therefore declared competent able to stand trial. WebBrian Douglas Wells (November 15, 1956 August 28, 2003) was an American man who died after a homemade neck- bomb exploded while being involved in a plot involving a bank robbery in Erie, Pennsylvania. Wells warned police that he was wearing a bomb and running out of time, but as bomb technicians were summoned the device exploded, killing Wells and leaving behind an odd lot of clues and characters. 7. Marjorie said he had fallen, and the coroner corroborated, saying the death was accidental. After leaving the bank, Wells was cornered by police in a parking lot. The Pizza Bomber: The Crazy Real-Life Story, believe Rothstein was responsible for the crime. The official synopsis for Oxygen's Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode, titled, Death Trap, reads: The bone-chilling case dates back to August 2003. According to the indictment, heres how it happened: Ray Morrow, special agent in charge of the FBIs Pittsburgh office, called the three-year, 10-month case an outstanding, old-fashioned investigation and lauded the joint efforts of the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. When authorities arrived, Brian was found standing in a parking lot outside his car. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. The co-conspirators watched from a distance until Wells was stopped by police, at which time they fled. This powerful, booby-trapped bomb can be removed only by following our instructions ACT NOW, THINK LATER OR YOU WILL DIE! The notes led Brian on a bizarre scavenger hunt, giving him time extensions on the bomb exploding for each step completed. "I get a call, 'Hey we got a new bank robbery at 7200 Peach Street, [and there is] a potential bomb utilized during the robbery.' Her co-conspirators were her then-boyfriend James Roden, who she murdered in the course of the crime, her ex-fiance Bill Rothstein, and another friend, Ken Barnes. This was the first task of a scavenger hunt that he claimed would save his life. He found the old dirt road and drove all the way to the end, where a TV broadcast tower stood, according to All That's Interesting. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. The next time he was seen was later that same afternoon, when he walked into Eries PNC Bank and passed the teller a note demanding $250,000. Marjories high school sweetheart was a guy named Bill Rothstein. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Wells then followed the next set steps of his instructions, which directed him to a McDonald's near the bank, where he'd find a note with more instructions under a stone in the parking lot. Many leads for potential suspects turned up empty until a local man named William Rothstein tipped off state police to a frozen body in his garage. She was deemed disabled due to her psychological condition, and got disability payments from Social Security, on top of the hospital pay out and help from her father, who bought her a house. 8. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They believe that he was an unfortunate hostage and merely forced to go along with the plot. A prosecutor in the case once reportedly described the suspects as twisted, intellectually bright, dysfunctional individuals who outsmarted themselves., Barnes pleaded guilty to weapons and conspiracy charges and remains in prison while Diehl-Armstrong was convicted and later died behind bars. Probably not.. While some might expect the Netflix series to tread lightly around the violent death of Brian Wells, Evil Genius is a particularly jarring reminder that there are no guidelines restricting gruesome images from being shown onscreen. Can A Car Accident Lawyer Help Me Maximize Compensation? The weirdest part was Marjories reason for wanting to rob the bank: Ken said Marjorie wanted to rob the bank in order to kill her father to get an inheritance. Rothstein passed away on July 30, 2004, from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Magazines, 15 of the Most Fascinating True Crime Stories Ever Told, Or create a free account to access more articles, What to Know About the Shocking Case Behind Netflix's True Crime Docuseries. At 3:18pm the bomb exploded. She was also not unknown to Erie, PA law enforcement. According to police, Wells himself helped plan the scheme and agreed to wear the collar to throw authorities off the trail and let his co-conspirators get away with a bank robbery. The story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. Wells began to panic and squirm on the ground, pleading with police to help him. . The inmate also said Diehl-Armstrong told her that Rothstein helped build the bomb and the motive was financial, according to the FBI affidavit. But for whatever reason, this one felt different almost immediately," Clark told producers. Magazines, Digital You can find out everything about the weird, complex crime in Oxygens weekly. Wells' family has said they believe he was just a victim, and have criticized the pace of the investigation. Apparently, this didn't seem to dissuade Wells. While investigating, the FBI got another tip involving Kenneth Barnes, who confirmed their suspicion that Marjorie was the mastermind. 1 day ago. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, Rothstein was in a romantic relationship with Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong. 4. Rothstein broke first and gave up Marjoriefor having him store a corpse in his freezer. The plotters had gotten away with it and Wells had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time when he got that pizza order. Behind the murder was a woman named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong who suffered from multiple mental illnesses and personality disorders. What Injuries Do Robert J. DeBry Car Accident Lawyers Accept? Direccin: Calzada de Guadalupe No. She was convicted with conspiracy to commit bank robbery with the utilization of a destructive device, and she was sentenced to life in prison on February 28th 2011. The infamous pizza bomber narrative isas explosive as it sounds--although filled with more twists and turns than actual pizza. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Later on, it was disclosed that a woman named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong planned the entire crime. The state troopers kept a safe distance as Wells repeatedly warned them that the bomb would blow. Forty-seven months later, however, in July 2007, law enforcement held a press conference where they announced the strangest twist yet: Brian Wells was not just an innocent bystander. She wanted to kill her own father, who she accused of wasting a fortune that she was meant to inherit, according to Wired. The bomb went off and Brian died with his chest crushed. Retired FBI agents Jim Fisher and Jerry Clark, who was prominently featured in Evil Genius, also believe Rothstein was responsible for the crime. Instead, she gathered all the money she could from behind the counter and placed it in a bag for Wells. They detained Wells and placed him outside of a police vehicle, where he sat on the ground in a parking lot. Indeed, Marjorie would only leave the house one night per week--on garbage pickup night, shed scour the neighborhood looking for things on the side of the road to add to her collection of hoarded ephemera. Initially, Wells thought he was an active planner in the robbery but would realize that his diabolical accomplices Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Bill Rothstein, and Kenneth Barnes made him an unwilling participant. 1513 N. Hill Field Road, Suite 01-080, Layton, UT 84041, 180 North University Avenue, Suite 270 - #9220, Provo, UT 84601. It may be that his role transitioned from that of the planning stages to being an unwilling participant in the scheme.. She earned another 30 years for using a bomb in the crime. When police showed up, he explained that he was held hostage and dressed in a collar bomb against his will, and if he didnt complete the scavenger hunt, they would kill him. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Buchanan said Wells played a limited role in the planning phase of bank robbery. He had a bomb locked around his neck like a handcuff, resulting in a giant protrusion out the front of his t-shirt. Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the Netflix docuseries Evil Genius. 12 hours ago, by Alexis Jones Police even suspected he might not have been aware that the bomb was real until it started beeping. However, that day, he discovered it was accurate when it was too late. Bill went to the police station for questioning, and explained how he and Marjorie had been friends for years, and that she would often call on him for help, which is how he ended up with a dead dude in his freezer. WebInvestigators concluded and a federal prosecutor's indictment alleged Wells was a knowing participant in the bank robbery but was told the bomb was fake and did not know his co-conspirators intended for him to die. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. I dont have a lot of time, he said, according to a video recording of the encounter. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. On August 28, 2003, a man wearing a white Guess brand t-shirt and carrying a cane (later proven to be a homemade shotgun shaped like a cane) walked into a PNC bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, according to Wired. Wells' brother, John Wells, 44, of Phoenix, said the family won't be happy until justice is meted out. In this photo released Sept. 17, 2005, by the FBI, Brian Wells, 46, of Erie, Pa., carries a plastic bag of cash after robbing the PNC Bank in Summit Towne Centre in Erie on Aug. 28, 2003. Police also took Wells' instructions and put together a route to follow. He desperately bargained with the police, telling them he had a bob around his neck that was put there by some people who jumped him when he was making a pizza delivery. As Clark predicted, this was no ordinary bank robbery.. The crime went down in 2003, when a pizza delivery man was jumped, fitted with a collar that he was told was a bomb, and sent on a bizarre scavenger hunt that involved robbing a bank. While waiting for the bomb squad to arrive, the collar bomb went off, and after a few struggling breaths, Wells died on the pavement he was seated on. Marshals, 'Happy-Go-Lucky' Girl, 13, Allegedly Killed by Man Who's Accused of Sexually Assaulting 2 Women, 'Victims Are Getting Lost in All This':Mallory Beach Family Attorney on Murdaugh Murder Mysteries, Alex Murdaugh's Lawyer Admits Botched Suicide Plot, Says Client Was Depressed After Murders of Wife, Son, 2nd Former Iowa Schools Employee Found Dead Amid Allegations of Sexual Misconduct with Students, Woman Accused of Killing Her Friend, Then Framing Victim's Husband, Who Spent Years in Prison. However, instead of bombs, information is the explosive motivator. As it so happened, Rothstein also lived in the house right next to the broadcast tower where Wells claimed to be fitted with the bomb collar. The law enforcement official told the AP that Buchanan would not disclose what the investigators concluded, but would say that the government is confident they know how and why Wells died. 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