Mere minutes before the bomb squad could arrive. James Roden was Marjories boyfriend at the time of the pizza bomb plot, and he had allegedly threatened to rat Marjorie out to the police--which was apparently when she shot him dead. It does not store any personal data. We know all the details that led up to the death of Brian Wells and all the parties involved," the official said. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Be the first one to comment on this story. "The family will be satisfied when everybody is held to account for their actions that day," Wells said. As she got older, though, her mental condition began to worsen. They were engaged in their 20s, but it didnt last. One of the sellers confirmed selling a gun to Marjorie and Bill. Rothstein had put a real bomb on Wells, though, so there were fewer people to split the money with, and he told police about the body in his freezer for the same reason. 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. The bank teller went through emotional distress and would need a personal injury lawyer for her case. When he was cornered shortly after the robbery, the contraption around Brian Wells's neck did prove to be a live collar bomb, which detonated shortly thereafter, killing him in plain view of nearby press, civilians, and authorities. The bomb was attached to the collar, authorities said. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Shortly after, Bill was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Wells had told police he had been forced to rob the bank. Brian Douglas Wells died at 3:18 PM on August 28, 2003. 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. Please consult us at, Wells and his counterparts set a detailed plan in motion on August 28th, 2003. Or, at least, that was the story, but in an interview for Netflix's 2018 mini-series about the case, Evil Genius, Hoopsick claimed that this wasn't actually true. Wells made off with $9,000, the most the teller could give him. This collar was attached to a box under his shirt, creating a large lump under the t-shirt. The felony charges, announced during a press conference by U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan, answer some central questions about the case, foremost whether Wells was a willing participant or an innocent victim. But in subsequent years, authorities uncovered an intricate criminal plot and concluded Wells was no pure victim. . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Wells reportedly needed money for his own debts. Even if Wells could have somehow beat the timers and finished the treasure hunt, he would never have been able to remove the bomb on his own. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes are currently serving unrelated sentences in prisonDiehl-Armstrong for killing her boyfriend in 2003 and Barnes for a drug-related offense. Behind the murder was a woman named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong who suffered from multiple mental illnesses and personality disorders. He was a pizza delivery driver and he had a clean criminal record. Your login session has expired. 12 hours ago, by Njera Perkins 10 Pieces Of Evidence To Give A Car Accident Lawyer. Armed with Kenneth Barnes' testimony, police put Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong on trial once again, this time for the bomb plot. It took eight police a whopping four days to get rid of the mess shed collected, and they filled up at least six dumpsters with trash. Barnes was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, and Diehl-Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison, where she died in 2017. A true crime documentary about Brian Wells. Unfortunately, there was no DNA or fingerprint evidence on the bomb that could link it to its maker. Some people out there disagree, though. After Diehl-Armstrong was separately convicted for fatally shooting Roden, a fellow inmate with whom she was incarcerated told authorities that Diehl-Armstrong had confessed to killing Roden because he threatened to expose the collar bomb plot to authorities, according to the FBI. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, Rothstein was in a romantic relationship with Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong. 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. Rothstein passed away on July 30, 2004, from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A witness pointed authorities to a man named Kenneth Barnes (another compulsive hoarder), a close friend of Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, claiming that Barnes had been involved in the bomb collar case. Barnes claimed that this moment was the point at which Wells became aware that the bomb was real, though eyewitness accounts from the day of the robbery say that Wells had been cool until the bomb began to beep. They asked Ken to help with the timing mechanism on the bomb. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Rothstein was trying to control the narrative and slowly reveal his plot. WebWells 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 This was the first task of a scavenger hunt that he claimed would save his life. So what happened in that four year gap that led police to conclude that Wells was a collaborator and not a hostage? Brian Wells, 46, told police before the bomb killed him in August 2003 that he was innocent and had been forced at gunpoint to wear the bomb. By bragging, Bill willingly admitted to police he fit the exact profile of their bomb maker they were looking for. They said he had, in fact, helped plot part of the same scheme that led to his death. However, he was only able to get $8,702. 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. 1. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". She has said she believed Wells was involved in the heist and that Rothstein was the brains behind the entire plot, not her. She would then use proceeds from the robbery to pay Barnes to kill her father and collect an inheritance, the indictment says. The three Black men that Wells claimed forced the collar on him never existed. 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. After leaving the bank, Wells was cornered by police in a parking lot. WebThe story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. In 1984, she murdered her next boyfriend, Robert Thomas, in his sleep, shooting him six times. While searching Marjories house, police managed to find two ads in the paper circled by Marjorie a few days before James murder. What Injuries Do Robert J. DeBry Car Accident Lawyers Accept? With a walking-stick and a huge protrusion in the front of his shirt what bank customers thought was a neck injury apparatus, but Wells claimed was a bomb The bomb went off and Brian died with his chest crushed. They detained Wells and placed him outside of a police vehicle, where he sat on the ground in a parking lot. all while wearing a bulky contraption around his neck, covered in a T-shirt that ominously read "Guess." It was merely two pipe bombs and kitchen timers, according to Wired. This is one of the most movie-esque murder plots ever committed and its the subject of Oxygens weekly "Martinis & Murder" podcast. If not for losing his life, he could have gotten a personal injury lawyer and built a case against them. 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 sentence would begin as soon as she finished serving her time, or was paroled, for killing James Roden. 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. Rothstein would have a better chance with a personal injury lawyer for his case. Investigators ultimately determined the device, which included four locks and a combination dial, could never have been safely removed. She provided kitchen timers that were utilized in the metal cooler explosive. In July 2004, investigators tried to get a confession from Bill on his deathbed, but he passed without uttering a useful word. They didn't think Rothstein was the mastermind, they thought she was. Why is no one coming to get this thing off of me? he asked authorities. Witnesses at the scene alleged that he walked out of the bank calmly and seemingly unperturbed. Mere seconds later, it exploded, leaving a 5-inch gash in Wells chest. The Pizza Bomber: The Crazy Real-Life Story, believe Rothstein was responsible for the crime. The robbery was merely a setup for her to acquire $250,000 to pay a hitman Barnes himself. The caller ordered two sausage and pepperoni pizzas and asked that they be delivered to a road on the edge of town. But before he could make it back to the puppet master, he was apprehended by police, and died when the bomb exploded. The last-minute call came from an address with an obscure address: a transmission tower site, down a dirt road, on the outskirts of town.Wells, 46, never returned to the pizza shop. After Wells came out of the bank, a bank employee quickly called the police. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Around midday on August 28 2003, 46-year-old delivery driver Brian Wells clocked in for his usual lunchtime shift at Mama Mias Pizzeria in Erie, Pennsylvania. The vault was on a time delay, and it would take longer than the 15 minutes allotted in his note. However, that day, he discovered it was accurate when it was too late. It had been locked around him by three people in order to compel him to do what they wanted and return with $250,000. Diehl-Armstrong was the plot's mastermind, according to Barnes. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! I dont have a lot of time, he said, according to a video recording of the encounter. Wells fell backwards and was motionless. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. After Brian Wells was dead, police picked up two key pieces of evidence: The instructions provided by his attackers and the remnants of the bomb itself. The collar was still attached around Wells' neck, and initial investigations revealed something stunning. The bomb collar was nothing at all like it was described in the instructions. It just got weirder and weirder as the years went on, and there are still some unanswered questions, too. Shortly after, authorities confronted him at the parking lot of a nearby Eyeglass World retail store. Stunt Performer Ryan Dunn Dies From Car Accident, Attorney Marketing and Website by Fusion 360. The police went straight to Mama Mias Pizzeria, where Brian worked, and his co-workers expressed sincere doubt that Brian would have been able to make a bomb himself. 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. 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. 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. It was also Diehl-Armstrong who swapped the fake bomb for a real one. Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the Netflix docuseries Evil Genius. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? As soon as he was gone customers in the bank began dialling 911, and he only made it a few hundred yards in his car before a State Trooper pulled him over. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was convicted for her role in the plot in 2010. So it seemed like Brian had really been jumped, but the police obviously had to get to the bottom of it. 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. Retired FBI agents Jim Fisher and Jerry Clark, who was prominently featured in Evil Genius, also believe Rothstein was responsible for the crime. 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. 1 day ago. 11 hours ago, by Eden Arielle Gordon 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. She is in an all-female prison near Fort Worth, Texas. She would not say if Rothstein, who died of cancer in July 2004, was one of those witnesses. 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. Police had surrounded Wells, 46, a short time after he robbed a PNC Bank branch outside Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. Never have the public at large had so many options when it comes to learning about people committing terrible acts. Because Wells owed Barnes and his friends so much money, he had no choice but to participate, according to Wired. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes were both eventually convicted of conspiracy and armed bank robbery charges. , Here's a Warning About That Crazy-Disturbing Scene in Netflix's Evil Genius, The "Stranger Things" Prequel Stage Play Dives Deep Into Vecna's Origin Story, Can't Wait For "Daisy Jones & The Six"? 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Viewers of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered have been buzzing with curiosity to learn all about the strange 2003. Magazines, Digital Today's video is about the infamous I dont have a lot of time, he said, according to a video She is alleged to have supplied two egg timers that were used in the collar bomb. They said that if he followed the instructions on the paper, he would be able to disarm the bomb and would be unhurt, but he had a time limit he had to follow. He told investigators he was the smartest guy in this room, and reeled of his impressive educational resume--including his degree in electrical engineering and that he was a substitute science teacher with the Erie school system, specializing in robotics. The story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. (She mistakenly believed he was wealthy.). She said the investigators set her up and the government framed her, and that Bill was the true mastermind.The jury reached a verdict on November 1st , 2010, finding Marjorie guilty. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong died of breast cancer in 2017 while still in prison. Prosecutors believe the 2003 murder of her boyfriend was intended to keep him from disclosing the emerging bank robbery plot. Officers had to restrain her, and they found James in the freezer as described. Rothstein was a compulsive hoarder, with trash and various knick-knacks piled high across his house. All right, well we've had those before, and many times you arrive on scene and they're hoax devices. Everything Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was telling them seemed to implicate her more than Bill Rothstein, according to Wired. But perhaps one of the strangest and most unique crimes in history was none of these things. He had a short cane in his right hand and Collar-Bomb Case Charges in Bizarre 03 Bank Heist. 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. 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. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Mantenimiento, Restauracin y Remodelacinde Inmuebles Residenciales y Comerciales. She was an only child to two parents who ran a successful awning business. They had run-ins with her on more than one occasion. The police called in the bomb squad. While the Troopers kept their distance from Wells, waiting for the bomb squad to arrive and confirm the bomb story, the device around Wells neck suddenly stopped beeping. Born in 1949, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong had lived in Erie, Pennsylvania all her life. Police even suspected he might not have been aware that the bomb was real until it started beeping. Rothstein, meanwhile, was charged for his involvement with the crime, but never saw his day in court. The FBI did not respond to requests for comment, and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania declined to discuss the documentarys findings. He was also a part of the pizza collar bomb case. Police also took Wells' instructions and put together a route to follow. He was another genius who was in Mensa. The co-conspirators watched from a distance until Wells was stopped by police, at which time they fled. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. WebMarjorie Diehl-Armstrong, the Pizza Bombers mastermind, has been identified. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. However, after only 2 years, in 1992, Marjorie was rushing Richard to hospital with a serious head injury. The FBI documents said Barnes later confessed to punching Wells on the day of the bank heist after Wells got scared and started to run away from the group of conspirators. 1155, Col. San Juan de Guadalupe C.P. Kenneth Barnes had already pleaded guilty as part of his deal in 2008, according to All That's Interesting. Now in a state mental hospital, Marjories testimony against Bill would be useless. 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. The case involved nearly 1,000 interviews and as many leads, Buchanan said. So it seemed like Brian had really been jumped, but the police obviously had to get to the bottom of it. His eyes just got real wide, and then they went to the back of his head. 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