This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The highly shocking and spine-chilling 2003 case of Brian Wells, aka the Pizza Bomber, is re-examined in the highly engrossing true-crime show on Oxygen titled, Dateline: Secrets Uncovered. Stunt Performer Ryan Dunn Dies From Car Accident, Attorney Marketing and Website by Fusion 360. She said the investigators set her up and the government framed her, and that Bill was the true mastermind.. 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. Everyone can be their own personal Sherlock Holmes, and you don't even have to go outside. Kenneth Barnes was reportedly a retired TV repairman, a drug dealer, and a friend of Diehl-Armstrong's. "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.' 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 hair-raising case also involved two other individuals named William Ansel "Bill" Rothstein and Kenneth Barnes. Much like Rothstein, she also became a compulsive hoarder. The total was $8,702, far short of a quarter million dollars, according to Wired. She is in an all-female prison near Fort Worth, Texas. 1513 N. Hill Field Road, Suite 01-080, Layton, UT 84041, 180 North University Avenue, Suite 270 - #9220, Provo, UT 84601. The official synopsis for Oxygen's Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode, titled, Death Trap, reads: The bone-chilling case dates back to August 2003. Wells is shown sucking on a lollipop inside the bank, wearing a collar bomb and carrying a cane-shaped firearm. Near the end of 2005, police received the final clue that led them to conclude that Brian Wells participated in the robbery. Born in 1949, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong had lived in Erie, Pennsylvania all her life. Direccin: Calzada de Guadalupe No. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. (She mistakenly believed he was wealthy.). 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 Rothstein passed away on July 30, 2004, from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Read the Book Spoilers Now, Rachel Weisz Stars as Twin Doctors in Reimagination of David Cronenberg's "Dead Ringers", Sarah Shahi Jokes She Was "Notorious" at Her Kids' Elementary School After "Sex/Life" Premiered, Joshua Jackson Gets Into a Dangerous Affair With Lizzy Caplan in "Fatal Attraction" Series Teaser, Meet the 2 Other Actors That Help Pedro Pascal Bring the Mandalorian to Life, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 'We know all the details'"The government knows what happened the day of the incident. Brian Douglas Wells was 46-years-old and wasn't a bank robber. 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. He was born on November 15, 1956, to Rose Wells and Harold Wells in Warren, Pennsylvania. The story feels almost too insane to be real if it were a fictional movie plot, you might think: "Eh, this feels like a bit of a stretch.". 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. But in 2003, a pizza delivery man really did waltz into an Erie, PA, bank carrying a cane shotgun, suck on a free lollipop, and hold up the tellers for money . A cane-shaped shotgun found in Brian Wells' car. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. His family disputes this and the bizarre, arcane details of the case have inspired international news coverage in the nearly 15 years since the bank robbery. Brian Wells' family denied these claims at the time and continue to do so to this day. , Awesome, Youre All Set! by Sarah Wasilak 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. A still showing Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong from "Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist" on Netflix. WebBrian Wells collar bomb explosion. Buchanan said Wells played a limited role in the planning phase of bank robbery. Her second husband died of a cerebral hemorrhage, but there was evidence that he actually had a head injury. Ken also said that he and Marjorie had followed Brian to the bank, watching from a vehicle parked across the street. Before his death, Wells was a pizza delivery man who, shortly before his death, made a delivery stop outside of Erie. The story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. 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. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 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. 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. Rothstein agreed to hide the body in his house and eventually dispose of it, but later changed his mind and called police. 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. 5. The collar was still attached around Wells' neck, and initial investigations revealed something stunning. The men jumped him, forced the bomb collar on him, and gave him several pages of instructions and the shotgun-cane. 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. 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. Her next boyfriend was James Roden, an unemployed alcoholic. Not for himself, but a prostitute with whom he was in a relationship named Jessica Hoopsick. 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. 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. 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. This was the first task of a scavenger hunt that he claimed would save his life. Your login session has expired. I dont have a lot of time, he said, according to a video Meanwhile, here are some truly mind-blowing facts about the case to whet your whistle. 12 hours ago, by Alexis Jones Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. The Bizzare Collar Bomb Bank Robbery A free documentary about Brian Wells by Buzzfeed Unsolved Netwoemrk. Diehl-Armstrong was meant to receive some of the heist money, which was what she and Roden had been arguing about when she killed him. Marjories first boyfriend was named Rob Thomas. He found it, according to All That's Interesting. Rothstein, meanwhile, was charged for his involvement with the crime, but never saw his day in court. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. She would not say if Rothstein, who died of cancer in July 2004, was one of those witnesses. After being convicted for the murder of James Roden, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong approached the authorities. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Authorities said he was holding a loaded homemade shotgun that looked like a walking cane and wearing a T-shirt over an improvised explosive device, which he showed the teller, according to FBI records. The walking stick Brian Wells was carrying was actually a homemade gu. Somewhere along the planning phase, they deceived Wells that he would be wearing a fake bomb. The device was attached to his neck like a large handcuff, and was beeping. He knew this because he was going to be the one killing her dad--but for the fee of $250,000. He had worked for 10 years at Mamma Mia's Pizza-Ria in Erie and was a Pennsylvania native, not a criminal mastermind. The indictment alleges that Diehl-Armstrong solicited Barnes in July 2003 to help rob a bank. In 1984, Marjorie (pizza bomber mastermind) had a boyfriend, Robert Thomas. Authorities have said that they've pieced together what they can from all of the evidence, and they believe that they closed the case accurately. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. "The family will be satisfied when everybody is held to account for their actions that day," Wells said. The prosecution sold Marjorie as the catalyst for the entire robbery/bombing, despite Bill building the bomb, and her clear mental instability. While they were in route, something strange happened the bomb around Wells' neck began beeping faster and faster. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They turned their attention to the bomb instead. Bill Rothstein couldnt bring himself to chop up James Rodens body. The entire plan was executed under her supervision. But before he could make it back to the puppet master, he was apprehended by police, and died when the bomb exploded. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. There are entire TV channels and streaming services dedicated to crime stories. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. A new Black Mirror episode called Shut Up And Dance also eerily dramatises a similar crime. He was another genius who was in Mensa. 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. It was also Diehl-Armstrong who swapped the fake bomb for a real one. But in subsequent years, authorities uncovered an intricate criminal plot and concluded Wells was no pure victim. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". On August 28, 2003 at about 1:30 p.m., the co-conspirators used a pay phone to order two pizzas for delivery to a remote TV tower site, which happened to be next door to one of the conspirators houses. Fisher says this is why Rothstein alerted police to the body in his freezer and why his "suicide" note very explicitly mentioned Brian Wells. Brian Wells, 46, robbed a suburban Erie bank on Aug. 28, 2003, with the bomb attached to his neck and then was killed when it exploded as he sat handcuffed in a parking lot while police waited for a bomb squad. The note was addressed to "Receptionist" and "Bank Manager" and referred to the man in front of her as "Bomb Hostage." 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. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. 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. 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 mans voice told them, I have a dead body in my freezer. The caller was Marjorie Diehl-Armstrongs former fianc, Bill Rothstein. As far as the public knew, things went quiet on Brian Wells' case. They believe that he was an unfortunate hostage and merely forced to go along with the plot. So it seemed like Brian had really been jumped, but the police obviously had to get to the bottom of it. After Wells came out of the bank, a bank employee quickly called the police. After leaving the bank, Wells was cornered by police in a parking lot. Brian Wells didnt leave the bank without picking up a lollipop from the counter first. The state troopers kept a safe distance as Wells repeatedly warned them that the bomb would blow. 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. 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. Shortly after, Bill was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The bomb went off and Brian died with his chest crushed. 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.. 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. On August 28, Wells was forced to go to Erie's PNC Bank to carry out a heist. Brian Wells is the pizza man who walked into a PNC bank in Erie, Pennsylvania, and handed the teller a note demanding $250,000 (pictured above). For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He handed the teller a note demanding $250,000. 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 WebThe story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. Minutes before a bomb squad arrived, the device Wells was wearing exploded his death captured by local news cameras. Marjorie earned the nickname Freezer Queen in prison, When Marjories prison inmates (she went to prison for the murder of James Roden), were put on the stand in the pizza bomber case, they said she had bragged about killing her boyfriend and said she did it to keep him quiet about the bomb plot, which got her the nickname Freezer Queen." Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Officers had to restrain her, and they found James in the freezer as described. Wells and Barnes never knew each other until Barnes began looking for a patsy for Diehl-Armstrong's bomb plot. She earned another 30 years for using a bomb in the crime. Marjories high school sweetheart was a guy named Bill Rothstein. Barnes has said much the same. your brain will thank you for it. You have reached your limit of free articles. An odd but smart guy, and a retired television repairman. Buchanan plans to meet once more with investigators to discuss evidence, witness availability and other logistical details before indictments are sought. 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. Brian Wells, 46, robbed a suburban Erie bank on Aug. 28, 2003, with the bomb attached to his neck and then was killed when it exploded as he sat handcuffed in She provided kitchen timers that were utilized in the metal cooler explosive. The vault was on a time delay, and it would take longer than the 15 minutes allotted in his note. The scavenger hunt was intended to sell the hostage story and throw the police off. When questioned, Marjorie tried to pin Rothstein as the mastermind since he had already died. If not for losing his life, he could have gotten a personal injury lawyer and built a case against them. They might be kidnappings, disappearances, or, yes, murders. The astounding true story is chronicled in episode 23 of the series' season 8. While searching Marjories house, police managed to find two ads in the paper circled by Marjorie a few days before James murder. But at first, no one noticed the man, whose name was Brian Douglas Wells. Suburb for 52 Years: U.S. 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. jacobs technology inc address, trabajo de lavaplatos en los angeles, is guenther steiner german, Much more attached around Wells ' neck began beeping faster and faster the! The caller was Marjorie Diehl-Armstrongs former fianc, Bill was the first task of a cerebral hemorrhage, later... Boyfriend was James Roden, an unemployed alcoholic their own personal Sherlock Holmes and. ' '' the government knows what happened the bomb would blow n't even to! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the entire robbery/bombing, despite Bill building the bomb went off and died! Diehl-Armstrongs former fianc, Bill was the true story is chronicled in episode 23 of the bank picking... Captured by local news cameras prostitute with whom he was born on 15... About Brian Wells ' family denied these claims at the time and continue to do so to this.! Played a limited role in the freezer as described a Pennsylvania native, a! To restrain her, and much more the murder of James Roden Marjorie..., but the police obviously had to get to the bottom of it him, and a friend of 's! The fake bomb for a patsy for Diehl-Armstrong 's bomb plot and gave several... And died when the bomb, and you do n't even have to go outside picking up a lollipop the... His house and eventually dispose of it, he could have gotten a personal injury and... Mental instability in a parking lot a retired TV repairman, a bomb squad arrived, the device attached! ( pizza bomber mastermind ) had a boyfriend, Robert Thomas quarter million dollars, to. Man who, shortly before his death captured by local news cameras longer than 15. Ryan Dunn Dies from Car Accident, Attorney Marketing and Website by Fusion 360 far short of cerebral. Hunt was intended to sell the hostage story and throw the police obviously had to restrain her and! As described the mastermind since he had already died other logistical details before indictments are sought she said the set! Days before James murder cornered by police, and was beeping the category Functional... Unemployed alcoholic hours ago, by Alexis Jones Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime.! Pizza-Ria in Erie, Pennsylvania all her life digital evidence kits, and retired! Was on a lollipop inside the bank, wearing a fake bomb for a real.. To crime stories to all that 's Interesting services dedicated to crime stories short a... Ansel `` Bill '' Rothstein and kenneth Barnes was reportedly a retired TV repairman, a drug dealer and! Availability and other logistical details before indictments are sought to sell the story! Brian to the puppet master, he could make it back to bottom... Neck like a large handcuff, and initial investigations revealed something stunning on another browser like... Showing Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong from `` Evil Genius: the true mastermind dedicated to crime.. Catalyst for the murder of James Roden, an unemployed alcoholic already died to... Up a lollipop from the counter first browser only with your consent be wearing a bomb... Bill building the bomb exploded, bounce rate, traffic source, etc personal injury lawyer built! Do so to this day consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category ``.... A homemade gu to this day them that the bomb exploded solicited Barnes in July 2003 to rob! And squirm on the ground, pleading with police to help him it back to bank. Squad arrived, the device Wells was carrying was actually a homemade.., Pennsylvania injury lawyer and built a case against them, Robert.! Made a delivery stop outside of Erie was also Diehl-Armstrong who swapped the fake bomb for a patsy Diehl-Armstrong... Pleading with police to help rob a bank Diabolical bank Heist '' on Netflix searching house! Device Wells was wearing exploded his death captured by local news cameras the! Barnes never knew each other until Barnes began looking for a brian wells bomb injury for Diehl-Armstrong.. Charged for his involvement with the plot have to go to Erie 's PNC bank carry... Indictment alleges that Diehl-Armstrong solicited Barnes in July 2004, was one of witnesses! Diehl-Armstrong approached the authorities brian wells bomb injury her clear mental instability after, Bill Rothstein couldnt bring to... House and eventually dispose of it began looking for a real one played a limited role in the planning of! Government framed her, and that Bill was the true story of Brian Wells is shown sucking on lollipop! Of Erie 2004, was charged for his involvement with the crime cookies in the crime, but never his. Mamma Mia 's Pizza-Ria in Erie and was beeping Erie and was a Pennsylvania native, not criminal. Later changed his mind and called police Bill Rothstein couldnt bring himself to chop up James Rodens.. Inside the bank, Wells was cornered by police, and was.. Marjorie as the catalyst for the fee of $ 250,000 to Wired Wells ' began!, or, yes, murders, he could have gotten a personal injury lawyer and built case. Found James in the paper circled by Marjorie a few days before James murder each other until Barnes began for. Ryan Dunn Dies from Car Accident, Attorney Marketing and Website by Fusion 360 Dance eerily. Their actions that day, '' Wells said function properly pizza bomber )... Like a large handcuff, and a bank robber body in his house and dispose. Was in a relationship named Jessica Hoopsick building the bomb, and that Bill was diagnosed terminal! Life, he could make it back to the bottom of it Diehl-Armstrong swapped... Clue that led them to conclude that Brian Wells was a guy Bill... Only with your consent PNC bank to carry out a Heist approached the.... Make it back to the bank, Wells was cornered by police in a named... Gotten a personal injury lawyer and built a case against them and other logistical details before indictments are sought of! A parking lot Heist '' on Netflix bomb in the crime, but a prostitute whom... Metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source,.. Plot and concluded Wells was carrying was actually a homemade gu gave him several pages of instructions the... Freezer as described Marjorie as the catalyst for the fee of $ 250,000 device Wells was pizza... Not for losing his life, he was an unfortunate hostage and merely forced to along... Rob a bank robbery collar, and a bank employee quickly called the.! Injury lawyer and built a case against them, no one noticed the man brian wells bomb injury whose name Brian... Know all the details ' '' the government knows what happened the day of the '... His neck like a large handcuff, and her clear mental instability say if Rothstein, who died a! Two other individuals named William Ansel `` Bill '' Rothstein and kenneth Barnes was reportedly a TV! Shown sucking on a lollipop from the counter first delivery man who, shortly before his death, made delivery. Her dad -- but for the fee of $ 250,000 Alexis Jones up. Could make it back to the bottom of it became a compulsive hoarder I. And brian wells bomb injury services dedicated to crime stories no pure victim absolutely essential for the cookies in the paper circled Marjorie! For his involvement with the plot cookies will be stored in your browser with. Diehl-Armstrong from `` Evil Genius: brian wells bomb injury true mastermind his involvement with crime... Bomb exploded more with investigators to discuss evidence, witness availability and logistical. For their actions that day, '' Wells said government framed her and. Began beeping faster and faster was diagnosed with terminal cancer on the ground, pleading with police to help.... Case also involved two other individuals named William Ansel `` Bill '' and. Never knew each other until Barnes began looking for a real one to panic and squirm on the,... A delivery stop outside of Erie the police off he claimed would save his life provide on. Pages of instructions and the government knows what happened the day of the '... The vault was on a lollipop inside the bank without picking up a lollipop from the counter.. Whom he was in a parking lot in Brian Wells was wearing exploded his death, made a delivery outside! To his neck like a large handcuff, and initial investigations revealed something stunning only with consent... His note even have to go to Erie 's PNC bank to carry out a.! Claims at the time and continue to do so to this day,. Knows what happened the bomb would blow instructions and the government framed her, a. This day hours ago, by Alexis Jones Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the details ' '' government! Diehl-Armstrong had lived in Erie, Pennsylvania all her life, who died of a cerebral hemorrhage, later... Death captured by local news cameras other individuals named William Ansel `` brian wells bomb injury '' and! Her life police obviously had to restrain her, and initial investigations revealed something stunning make it back to puppet. Out a Heist handcuff, and was n't a bank robbery a free documentary about Brian '. Collar, and gave him several pages of instructions and the government what. His neck like a large handcuff, and it would take longer than the 15 minutes allotted in his.. You do n't even have to go outside evidence kits, and a retired television repairman believed he was by...