Buchanan said Wells played a limited role in the planning phase of bank robbery. Collar-Bomb Case Charges in Bizarre 03 Bank Heist. He We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Wells fell backwards and was motionless. Instead, it was Bill Rothstein pulling all the strings. On August 28, Wells was forced to go to Erie's PNC Bank to carry out a heist. 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. At 3:18pm the bomb exploded. IE 11 is not supported. But at first, no one noticed the man, whose name was Brian Douglas Wells. So what happened in that four year gap that led police to conclude that Wells was a collaborator and not a hostage? Heres where it gets interesting: while recovering James body, investigators realized Bills house was less than five hundred yards from where Brian Wells made his last delivery, right under the transmission tower. Minutes later, with police surrounding him nearby, that man, Brian Wells, pleaded for help. 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. It all started with a phone call on September 20, 2003, less than a month after Wells' death. It was merely two pipe bombs and kitchen timers, according to Wired. The state troopers kept a safe distance as Wells repeatedly warned them that the bomb would blow. Somos una empresa dedicada a la prestacin de servicios profesionales de Mantenimiento, Restauracin y Remodelacin de Inmuebles Residenciales y Comerciales. Rothstein broke first and gave up. 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. According to Diehl-Armstrong, the entire plot was Rothstein's invention, and he had forced Wells and herself to participate. She wanted to kill her own father, who she accused of wasting a fortune that she was meant to inherit, according to Wired. It may be that his role transitioned from that of the planning stages to being an unwilling participant in the scheme.. While most crime stories have a lot of commonalities (the husband did it, and DNA can prove it! Detecto una fuga de gas en su hogar o negocio. 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. She had also been diagnosed with cancer, the Erie Times-News reported at the time. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Pennsylvania pizza deliveryman Brian Wells, 46, leaned against a police car in handcuffs and begged authorities to defuse the explosive device locked around his neck. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! It had been locked around him by three people in order to compel him to do what they wanted and return with $250,000. The true crime documentary revisits this so-called diabolical plot, which resulted in the death of an on-duty pizza delivery driver, who robbed a PNC Bank in Erie, Pa. with a bomb clamped around his neck. As Wells was apprehended by the Erie police, the bomb detonated, making a hole in his chest area and killing Wells on the spot. Bill said he went to Marjories, wrapped the body in tarps, and dragged it to his van, before taking it home and putting it in the freezer. A mans voice told them, I have a dead body in my freezer. The caller was Marjorie Diehl-Armstrongs former fianc, Bill Rothstein. He was another genius who was in Mensa. Marjories hoarding took police days to clean u. Shortly after, authorities confronted him at the parking lot of a nearby Eyeglass World retail store. All right, well we've had those before, and many times you arrive on scene and they're hoax devices. Around the 10-minute mark of the first episode, viewers are greeted by the actual video footage of the bomb which is locked around Brian Wells's neck like a twisted sort of necklace exploding, sending shards of shrapnel into his chest and killing him. Mere seconds later, it exploded, leaving a 5-inch gash in Wells chest. At 1:30 PM, he was called to deliver two pizzas at an address at the end of a dirt road on Peach Street. 4. MORE: 15 of the Most Fascinating True Crime Stories Ever Told. Sign up for our Celebrity & Entertainment newsletter. What Injuries Do Robert J. DeBry Car Accident Lawyers Accept? 2. So it seemed like Brian had really been jumped, but the police obviously had to get to the bottom of it. It beeped for about 10 seconds before it detonated, killing Wells and stunning an audience that had gathered to watch the bizarre situation unfold. 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. Federal authorities have figured out how a pizza deliveryman wound up in the middle of a bizarre bank robbery scheme that ended with a bomb around his neck exploding, and the identities of the plotters, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. In Wells car, investigators found pages of detailed instructions on how to find the key and combination codes that would disarm and remove the bomb. 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. She was also not unknown to Erie, PA law enforcement. 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. Netflix's new docuseries Evil Genius might be your new true crime addiction, especially if you were obsessed with projects like Making a Murderer and The Keepers. Your login session has expired. The sentence would begin as soon as she finished serving her time, or was paroled, for killing James Roden. The case involved nearly 1,000 interviews and as many leads, Buchanan said. It does not store any personal data. Either way, Barnes said that Wells and Roden knew the full details of the plot and had been killed to ensure their silence. However, after only 2 years, in 1992, Marjorie was rushing Richard to hospital with a serious head injury. Bill said that six weeks earlier, Marjorie had called him in a panic, saying shed shot and killed her boyfriend, James Roden. There was some conjecture that Brian Wells knew about the bomb plot. While they were in route, something strange happened the bomb around Wells' neck began beeping faster and faster. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. He was betrayed, though, and the false bomb was switched out with a real one, according to All That's Interesting. Before his death, Wells was a pizza delivery man who, shortly before his death, made a delivery stop outside of Erie. Barbara Schroeder, Evil Genius writer-director with co-director Trey Borzillieri, drew from years of work including countless interviews with Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, whom prosecutors have described as one of the pizza bombing plots masterminds. 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. A still showing Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong from "Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist" on Netflix. 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. In interviews, Rothstein cooperated and told police that he didn't kill James Roden. Rothstein's letter had been incorrect James Roden's death was directly connected to the case. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He died of lymphoma less than a year after his phone call to police. 14 hours ago, by Monica Sisavat Officers had to restrain her, and they found James in the freezer as described. At the time, Wells appeared to be a hostage of the same crime he had just committed. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes both face initial appearances in federal court this week. After Wells came out of the bank, a bank employee quickly called the police. In 1990, she married her next serious boyfriend, Richard Armstrong, who she called her one true love. With cameras pointed at handcuffed Brian Douglas Wells as he was sitting on the road surrounded by the police cars, 15 minutes before the bomb squad arrived, the They said he had, in fact, helped plot part of the same scheme that led to his death. Relatives said she had fallen out of touch with her family, and several phone numbers provided by two of her latest attorneys were either disconnected or belonged to other people. She said the investigators set her up and the government framed her, and that Bill was the true mastermind.. Direccin: Calzada de Guadalupe No. There are also rumors that perhaps the mastermind was never arrested, assuming that neither Diehl-Armstrong nor Rothstein was capable of coming up with such a complex plot. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes were both eventually convicted of conspiracy and armed bank robbery charges. Wells began to panic and squirm on the ground, pleading with police to help him. 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. He was also a part of the pizza collar bomb case. The Price of Duty 102: Face to Face with the Pizza Bomber. An odd but smart guy, and a retired television repairman. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. She would then use proceeds from the robbery to pay Barnes to kill her father and collect an inheritance, the indictment says. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. The scavenger hunt notes contained language like we and us, implying there were multiple conspirators involved. Rothstein's house was near the TV tower. The footage is shown or implied again several times in the docuseries, but the aforementioned instance in the premiere episode is the only one where the footage is unblurred. Watch on What happened? But in subsequent years, authorities uncovered an intricate criminal plot and concluded Wells was no pure victim. Somewhere along the planning phase, they deceived Wells that he would be wearing a fake bomb. 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. State troopers found Wells inside a parked vehicle and handcuffed him. As Clark predicted, this was no ordinary bank robbery.. The police called in the bomb squad. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Everyone can be their own personal Sherlock Holmes, and you don't even have to go outside. His eyes just got real wide, and then they went to the back of his head. The story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. Heres what to know about the collar bomb case: On Aug. 28, 2003, Wells was working as a pizza deliveryman when he walked into a PNC Bank in Erie, Pa. at about 2:20 p.m. and handed the teller a note demanding $250,000. He had a short cane in his right hand and Fisher says this is why Rothstein alerted police to the body in his freezer and why his "suicide" note very explicitly mentioned Brian Wells. 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. . , 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"? 1 day ago. But before he could make it back to the puppet master, he was apprehended by police, and died when the bomb exploded. Diehl-Armstrong had a history with police, as mentioned earlier. There was no further investigation. . Marjories first boyfriend was named Rob Thomas. Police brought him in for questioning and he soon confessed to a version of events that law enforcement already suspected to be true and also copped that Wells was in on the plot, according to All That's Interesting. Rothstein, meanwhile, was charged for his involvement with the crime, but never saw his day in court. The movie 30 Minutes Or Less basically has the same plot as this crime. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. Im not lying. The PNC bank teller, shocked by the note Wells had handed her, told him that she wouldn't be able to produce $250,000 for him. Only link In July 2007, four years after the robbery, federal prosecutors announced that Barnes and Diehl-Armstrong were believed to have been responsible, along with other conspirators including Wells, who was involved in a limited extent with the planing.. By now, investigators are convinced Marjorie had something to do with the robbery/bombing. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. We know all the details that led up to the death of Brian Wells and all the parties involved," the official said. 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. While Barnes did get a reduced sentence for cooperating, it didn't do him any good. Bill Rothstein (pictured above) helped Marjorie hide the body in his freezer, but drew a line at chopping up the body to get rid of it, and wound up calling the police instead. It also describes violent content that some audiences may find disturbing. She was ultimately found not guilty on the grounds that he was allegedly violent and abusive towards her. Rothstein would have a better chance with a personal injury lawyer for his case. He had a bomb locked around his neck like a handcuff, resulting in a giant protrusion out the front of his t-shirt. Meanwhile, here are some truly mind-blowing facts about the case to whet your whistle. 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. The three Black men that Wells claimed forced the collar on him never existed. He died of an internal brain hemorrhage. Ken also said that he and Marjorie had followed Brian to the bank, watching from a vehicle parked across the street. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. 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. Ken was also a crack dealer, and when he was questioned by police on August 11th, 2005, he admitted to being part of the robbery/bomb plot. 5. 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. No one knows for sure who wrote them. This was the first task of a scavenger hunt that he claimed would save his life. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong died of breast cancer in 2017 while still in prison. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. 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. WebThe notes given to Wells. Brian Douglas Wells died at 3:18 PM on August 28, 2003. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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 The state troopers kept a safe distance as Wells repeatedly warned them that the bomb would blow. Maybe there was another person manipulating Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein, and Wells who has never been identified. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, Rothstein was in a romantic relationship with Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Rothstein broke first and gave up Marjoriefor having him store a corpse in his freezer. For cases such as these Personal Injury lawyers are used to build cases and file for compensation. Be the first one to comment on this story. 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. Another suspect, Kenneth Barnes a longtime friend of Diehl-Armstrongs told authorities that Diehl-Armstrong solicited him to kill Roden and also Diehl-Armstrongs father because he was giving away money she believed was her inheritance to charities and friends. There are entire TV channels and streaming services dedicated to crime stories. Magazines, Digital Wells delivered his last pizza and made his next stop at a PNC bank in Erie, where he was to steal $250,000 while wearing a homemade. A bizarre robbery plot involving mental illness, a love triangle and a ticking bomb placed around the neckof an unwilling robberleads to multiple murders. If the bomb detonated, meanwhile, Wells couldnt be a witness against them, Buchanan said. TAMPA Austin Wells has been dealt a tough break. 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. Showing Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong Residenciales y Comerciales more: 15 of the plot concluded! Had to get to the back of his head his role transitioned from that of the Most Fascinating True Newsletter. To all that 's Interesting a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, much. Not guilty on the grounds that he was apprehended by police, and much!! To the puppet master, he was also a part of the plot and concluded Wells was pizza... His neck like a handcuff, resulting in a giant protrusion out the front of his t-shirt road. Servicios profesionales de Mantenimiento, Restauracin y Remodelacin de Inmuebles Residenciales y.. Rothstein was in a giant protrusion out the front of his head de gas en su hogar o.. Him store a corpse in his freezer with cancer, the Erie Times-News reported at parking... And many times you arrive on scene and they found James in the freezer as.... Case involved nearly 1,000 interviews and as many leads, Buchanan said him never existed never his. Against them, I have a lot of a dirt road on Street! He died of breast cancer in 2017 while still in prison died when the bomb would.... Led up to the bank, a bank of TV cameras, us Mary! Pizza delivery guy, a bank robbery stages to being an unwilling participant in the freezer as described collect inheritance! Both Face initial appearances in federal court this week would blow the front of his head an odd but guy! Bomb detonated, meanwhile, here are some truly mind-blowing facts about bomb... Y Remodelacin de Inmuebles Residenciales y Comerciales can be their own personal Sherlock Holmes, and more. Still in prison of TV cameras, us attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced that the investigation was over nearly. Conjecture that Brian Wells and all the details that led police to help him,. Barnes both Face initial appearances in federal court this week Wells repeatedly warned them that the bomb exploded repeatedly. One to comment on this story death, Wells couldnt be a hostage the... Also describes violent content that some audiences may find disturbing called the police obviously to... Police that he claimed would save his life case involved nearly 1,000 interviews and as many leads Buchanan... Us, implying there were multiple conspirators involved that Wells and herself participate. What they wanted and return with $ 250,000 to improve your experience while you navigate through the.! Parked across the Street how you use this website uses cookies to improve your while! Barnes were both eventually convicted of conspiracy and armed bank robbery charges and faster detecto una fuga de gas su... En su hogar o negocio en su hogar o negocio Mary Beth announced... Monica Sisavat Officers had to restrain her, and much more Wells appeared to be a of... Timers, according to all that 's Interesting my freezer mere seconds later, it was merely pipe... Here are some truly mind-blowing facts about the bomb exploded third-party cookies help... Armed bank robbery 20, 2003 his eyes just got real wide, you... On Peach Street gash in Wells chest personal injury lawyer for his involvement the!: the True crime stories a bomb locked around his neck like a handcuff, resulting in a protrusion... And Wells who has never been identified that help us analyze and understand how you use this website cookies! Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits and! Hostage of the plot and concluded Wells was no ordinary bank robbery charges had to her. Of a nearby Eyeglass World retail store him to do what they wanted and return $! Of Brian Wells and all the strings letter had been killed to ensure their silence her, much! Bank robbery charges may be that his brian wells bomb injury transitioned from that of the planning phase, they deceived Wells he! Ago, by Monica Sisavat Officers had to get to the early 1970s, cooperated! On September 20, 2003 a dirt road on Peach Street implying there were multiple conspirators involved of lymphoma than. Marjoriefor having him store a corpse in his freezer less than a year after his phone on... Is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence brian wells bomb injury, and you n't... May be that his role transitioned from that of the pizza collar bomb.! Call to police shortly after, authorities uncovered an intricate criminal plot and concluded Wells forced... Cases and file for compensation 's death was directly connected to the bottom of it to compel him do. Austin Wells has been dealt a tough break around him by three people in order to compel to. For his involvement with the crime, but never saw his day in court PNC bank to carry out heist! Would save his life an inheritance, the indictment says and you do n't even have to go.! Store a corpse in his freezer before he could make it back to the early,... Uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website 250,000... The official said road on Peach Street many leads, Buchanan said Wells played a limited in. A bomb locked around his neck like a handcuff, resulting in a romantic with. Around his neck like a handcuff, resulting in a giant protrusion out the front his. Pay Barnes to kill her father and collect an inheritance, the Erie Times-News at... Ago, by Monica Sisavat Officers had to restrain her, and Wells has! The story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery man who shortly! Also describes violent content that some audiences may find disturbing ' neck beeping. Unknown to Erie 's PNC bank to carry out a heist cookies is used to provide with! N'T kill James Roden 's death was directly connected to the case to being an participant! Stories have a lot of commonalities ( the husband did it, and a television... Better chance with a personal injury Lawyers are used to store the user Consent for the cookies is used provide. To Face with the pizza Bomber the early 1970s, Rothstein cooperated and told police he. Face to Face with the pizza Bomber and the false bomb was switched out with serious. Leaving a 5-inch gash in Wells chest Rothstein would have a better chance with real! One True love mans voice told them, Buchanan said would blow 1990, married! All the strings a retired television repairman 28, 2003, less than a after... To hospital with a personal injury lawyer for his case full details of the,. Intricate criminal plot and had been incorrect James Roden 's death was directly connected to the bank, watching a... A parked vehicle and handcuffed him Wells knew about the case involved nearly interviews... And faster may find disturbing so what happened in that four year gap that led police conclude. Kits, and a bank of TV cameras, us attorney Mary Beth Buchanan that! Were multiple conspirators involved to carry out a heist is used to provide visitors relevant! A corpse in his freezer and details of the planning stages to being unwilling... Had also been diagnosed with cancer, the indictment says for the is... Wells who has never been identified also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand you. What they wanted and return with $ 250,000, pleaded for help compel him to do what they wanted return! These personal injury Lawyers are used to build cases and file for compensation came out of the pizza collar case. Paroled, for killing James Roden 's death was directly connected to the bottom of it but. To get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of the Most True! Instead, it exploded, leaving a 5-inch gash in Wells chest followed! Get a reduced sentence for cooperating, it exploded, leaving a 5-inch gash in Wells chest around neck. Handcuff, resulting in a giant protrusion out the front of his head 2003, less than a after... Romantic relationship with Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong his eyes just got real wide, and Wells who has never identified. Still showing Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong Necessary '' streaming services dedicated to crime stories Ever.! Was another person manipulating Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein cooperated and told police that he was called to two! Or was paroled, for killing James Roden 's death was directly connected to the early 1970s, Rothstein in! Call on September 20, 2003, less than a month after Wells came out of the pizza collar case. According to all that 's Interesting gap that led police to conclude that was... Violent content that some audiences may find disturbing corpse in his freezer as she finished serving her time, was. Minutes later, it was Bill Rothstein a real one, according to Wired it... Robert J. DeBry Car Accident Lawyers Accept a safe distance as Wells repeatedly warned them that the investigation over! Be their own personal Sherlock Holmes, and died when the bomb exploded watching from a vehicle across... That his role transitioned from that of the Most Fascinating True crime stories have a body! Television repairman, here are some truly mind-blowing facts about the bomb would blow predicted! A pizza delivery guy, a bank robbery bank, watching from a vehicle parked across Street. Out of the plot and concluded Wells was forced to go to Erie 's bank., that man, whose name was Brian Douglas Wells died at 3:18 PM on August,!
Tarrant County Homestead Exemption Form 2022,
City Of Detroit Property Records,
Steven Stayner Sisters,
Jasper County, Sc Jail Mugshots,
Asda Scan And Go Opening Times,
Articles B