After investigation, it was revealed that even if Wells had completed the scavenger hunt, the bomb was rigged in a way that it would have detonated if he Wells said he saw three Black men waiting for him. Now in a state mental hospital, Marjories testimony against Bill would be useless. The case involved nearly 1,000 interviews and as many leads, Buchanan said. Much like Rothstein, she also became a compulsive hoarder. 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. While searching Marjories house, police managed to find two ads in the paper circled by Marjorie a few days before James murder. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Diehl-Armstrong had a history with police, as mentioned earlier. The collar bomb case captivated the country 15 years ago after details emerged that the robber, a 46-year-old local named Brian Wells, appeared to have been a hostage himself, forced to hold up the bank as part of a scavenger hunt he was instructed to complete to save his own life. The charges bring some clarity to a case that challenged investigators, who ultimately pieced together how Wells went from pizza delivery guy to bank robber in the course of an afternoon. As far as the public knew, things went quiet on Brian Wells' case. They didn't think Rothstein was the mastermind, they thought she was. Authorities, according to the Plain Dealer, have described Rothstein as helping plan the robbery and bombing. Pieces of the collarbomb fragmented and shot everywhere. Investigators ultimately determined the device, which included four locks and a combination dial, could never have been safely removed. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Wells' family has said they believe he was just a victim, and have criticized the pace of the investigation. The pizza delivery man, who was reportedly a hostage in the deadly crime, left the PNC bank in a petrified state as if someone was controlling his every movement. Marjorie was later convicted for her monstrous crimes, which included armed bank robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and the use of a deadly device. 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. She was given a life imprisonment sentence by the jury. Bank employees phoned police. Netflixs new four-part docuseries Evil Genius: The True Story of Americas Most Diabolical Bank Heist, dives into a high-profile 2003 crime known as the collar bomb case. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. If the bomb detonated, meanwhile, Wells couldnt be a witness against them, Buchanan said. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. 7. This was a lengthy and complex investigation, Morrow said. 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. 78340, San Luis Potos, Mxico, Servicios Integrales de Mantenimiento, Restauracin y, Tiene pensado renovar su hogar o negocio, Modernizar, Le podemos ayudar a darle un nuevo brillo y un aspecto, Le brindamos Servicios Integrales de Mantenimiento preventivo o, Tiene pensado fumigar su hogar o negocio, eliminar esas. 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. They turned their attention to the bomb instead. On August 28, Wells was forced to go to Erie's PNC Bank to carry out a heist. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes both face initial appearances in federal court this week. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. You can find out everything about the weird, complex crime in Oxygens weekly Martinis & Murder podcast, which is hosted by John Thrasher and Daryn Carp. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The robbery was merely a setup for her to acquire $250,000 to pay a hitman Barnes himself. 8. She wanted to kill her own father, who she accused of wasting a fortune that she was meant to inherit, according to Wired. 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. 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. The death was ruled accidental, though, so she was never charged. Rothstein broke first and gave up Marjoriefor having him store a corpse in his freezer. Diehl-Armstrong was the plot's mastermind, according to Barnes. Around that same time, she also gave two egg timers to William Rothstein, a handyman and former boyfriend who likely built the collar bomb that killed Wells by blowing a gaping hole in his chest. 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. It meant that anything she said might not be able to be used in court. But things took yet another turn when Marjorie was found mentally incompetent to stand trial by the court in 2004. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He seemed like any other ordinary customer who might have come in that day except for one very odd thing he had a large, metal collar around his neck. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? This collar was attached to a box under his shirt, creating a large lump under the t-shirt. 25 minutes later, the collar bomb began to beep, a sound that escalated until the moment it exploded, killing Wells. Probably not.. Rothstein would have a better chance with a personal injury lawyer for his case. Fisher's theory goes even further, though, claiming that Rothstein's crime wasn't about money but about making a puzzle that would confound authorities, according to Wired. It may be that his role transitioned from that of the planning stages to being an unwilling participant in the scheme.. (She mistakenly believed he was wealthy.). Brian Wells, originally named Brian Douglas Wells, was reportedly a pizza delivery man residing in Erie, Pennsylvania. He was born on November 15, 1956, to Rose Wells and Harold Wells in Warren, Pennsylvania. In 2003, when the terrible incident took place, Brian was 46 years old. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from POPSUGAR. 9. He claimed to have been attacked by a group of black men who he said tied the bomb to his body, court documents show. The papers were addressed to the Bomb Hostage and contained directions first to rob the bank and then to proceed on an elaborate scavenger hunt for keys and codes to disable the explosive Wells wore. All right, well we've had those before, and many times you arrive on scene and they're hoax devices. A 46-year-old pizza delivery man named Brian Wells, from Erie, Pennsylvania, was murdered in cold blood with a metal collar explosive tied around his neck right after he was forced to rob a PNC bank. She would then use proceeds from the robbery to pay Barnes to kill her father and collect an inheritance, the indictment says. 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. Barnes was a misfit friend of Marjories. So it seemed like Brian had really been jumped, but the police obviously had to get to the bottom of it. They were for shotguns. 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. He, too, died in prison in 2019. Im watching the Evil Genius doc on Netflix. Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced an indictment against Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, 58, and Kenneth Barnes, 53, for allegedly helping to plot and carry out the botched scheme that culminated on August 28, 2003, when Brian Wells was stopped by police after robbing an Erie bank. She said the investigators set her up and the government framed her, and that Bill was the true mastermind.. She was ultimately found not guilty on the grounds that he was allegedly violent and abusive towards her. 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. Police believed her, but not in the way she expected. The Yankees catching prospect underwent an MRI exam on Tuesday that revealed a fracture of his They found that the bomb was indeed initiated before Brian walked into the bank, and it had an inbuilt timer, as well as a booby trap that would trigger it if anyone attempted to remove it. A Wired article about Brian Wells. 1 day ago, by Chanel Vargas Across testimony given by Bill Rothstein, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Kenneth Barnes, and Jessica Hoopsick, none agree with each other 100 percent. In the course of investigating Rob Thomas death, police found 400 pounds of butter and more than 700 pounds of cheese, nearly all of it rotting, inside Marjories trash-strewn house. So if you plan to watch Evil Genius but want to avoid witnessing a real person's tragic death, be sure to shut your eyes around 10 minutes in to the first episode . After Marjorie broke off the engagement, she really began struggling with her mental disorders, including bipolar and depression. He was also a part of the pizza collar bomb case. They believe that he was an unfortunate hostage and merely forced to go along with the plot. Starring Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride, 30 Minutes Or Less, is about a pizza delivery guy who is kidnapped by some criminals who strap a bomb around his neck and force him to rob a bank. 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. He explained the situation to police, told them about the three Black men who had placed the collar on him, and how he had to follow his instructions or the bomb would detonate, according to Wired. 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. She is in an all-female prison near Fort Worth, Texas. The sentence would begin as soon as she finished serving her time, or was paroled, for killing James Roden. Why is no one coming to get this thing off of me? he asked authorities. At 1:30 PM, he was called to deliver two pizzas at an address at the end of a dirt road on Peach Street. This was the first task of a scavenger hunt that he claimed would save his life. The Bizzare Collar Bomb Bank Robbery A free documentary about Brian Wells by Buzzfeed Unsolved Netwoemrk. 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. He died of lymphoma less than a year after his phone call to police. He died of an internal brain hemorrhage. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. She had also been diagnosed with cancer, the Erie Times-News reported at the time. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They said he had, in fact, helped plot part of the same scheme that led to his death. He was instructed to get $250,000 within 15 minutes. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Four years after a pizza delivery man in Erie, Pennsylvania, robbed a bank with a time-bomb secured to his neck and then died when it detonated during a standoff with police, charges have been filed against two people for their alleged roles in the case. He was reportedly the putative creator of the collar bomb. The infamous pizza bomber narrative isas explosive as it sounds--although filled with more twists and turns than actual pizza. But at first, no one noticed the man, whose name was Brian Douglas Wells. The bank teller went through emotional distress and would need a personal injury lawyer for her case. 5. 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. 12 hours ago, by Alexis Jones The state troopers kept a safe distance as Wells repeatedly warned them that the bomb would blow. 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. The FBI thought one possible scenario was that the maker was a shop teacher with a background in electronics, and had a workshop at their house. 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. He walked out about 12 minutes later with $8,702. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. He was betrayed, though, and the false bomb was switched out with a real one, according to All That's Interesting. On October 12th, 2010, Marjorie stood trial for the robbery/bombing. This is one of the most movie-esque murder plots ever committed and its the subject of Oxygens weekly "Martinis & Murder" podcast. Brian Wells, a pizza delivery man, robbed a PNC Bank in Pennsylvania on August 28, 2003. Stunt Performer Ryan Dunn Dies From Car Accident, Attorney Marketing and Website by Fusion 360. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. 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. Prosecutors believe the 2003 murder of her boyfriend was intended to keep him from disclosing the emerging bank robbery plot. Kenneth Barnes was reportedly a retired TV repairman, a drug dealer, and a friend of Diehl-Armstrong's. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, Rothstein was in a romantic relationship with Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong. 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. This was because of a technical issue, not a moral one, but the news station held the footage back and later turned it over to authorities. Its a weird line to draw when youre already ass-deep in a murder, and one that would ultimately put Marjorie in prison. The keyholes on the collar did nothing. 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. 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. A 46-year-old pizza delivery man named Brian Wells, from Erie, Pennsylvania, was murdered in cold blood with a metal collar explosive tied around his It may be that his role transitioned from that of the planning stages to being an unwilling participant in the scheme, Buchanan said. 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. Subscribe at iTunes or Google Play. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. 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