As Clark predicted, this was no ordinary bank robbery.. Rothstein would have a better chance with a personal injury lawyer for his case. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. This was a lengthy and complex investigation, Morrow said. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Wells reportedly needed money for his own debts. 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 police went straight to Bills house--and found Marjorie there, sitting in the bed. Police found two notes from Brians car explaining how to remove the bomb along with the phrase, 'act Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The defense noted that Wells only took $8,701 from the bank. 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. The story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. The Pizza Bomber: The Crazy Real-Life Story, believe Rothstein was responsible for the crime. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from POPSUGAR. Brian Douglas Wells (November 15, 1956 August 28, 2003) was an American man who died after being forced to be involved in a complex plot involving a bank robbery, a scavenger hunt, and a homemade explosive device. Wells was killed when an explosive collar detonated while he was surrounded by police in his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania. However, he was only able to get $8,702. He also helped Marjorie get rid of the gun, sawing it into pieces and melting it down with a torch. Unfortunately, our investigation has led to the belief that Brian became involved in a limited role with a group of individuals who planned to rob the PNC Bank, Buchanan said. Roden's killing led police to question Diehl-Armstrong in the Wells case because Roden's body was found in the freezer of a man named William Rothstein, who has since died. 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. This is an FBI handout photo of the collar device used to secure a bomb to Brian Wells' neck. Rothstein was trying to control the narrative and slowly reveal his plot. Wells fell backwards and was motionless. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Not only was his life at stake, but the lives of those around him and his family and friends. Never have the public at large had so many options when it comes to learning about people committing terrible acts. Stunt Performer Ryan Dunn Dies From Car Accident, Attorney Marketing and Website by Fusion 360. The bomb went off and Brian died with his chest crushed. When questioned, Marjorie tried to pin Rothstein as the mastermind since he had already died. The Bizzare Collar Bomb Bank Robbery A free documentary about Brian Wells by Buzzfeed Unsolved Netwoemrk. Horrifyingly, this last bit was captured on camera. 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. There are entire TV channels and streaming services dedicated to crime stories. It beeped for about 10 seconds before it detonated, killing Wells and stunning an audience that had gathered to watch the bizarre situation unfold. Rothstein broke first and gave up. 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. Marjories high school sweetheart was a guy named Bill Rothstein. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. Brian Douglas Wells was 46-years-old and wasn't a bank robber. In January, Hoopsick was sentenced over a drug charge but paid a $100 fine and did not have to serve time, according to Michael Dejohn, her public defender at the time. 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. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. At 3:18pm the bomb exploded. The prosecution sold Marjorie as the catalyst for the entire robbery/bombing, despite Bill building the bomb, and her clear mental instability. The entire thing was caught on local news cameras, but contrary to popular belief, Wells' death was not broadcast live. As she got older, though, her mental condition began to worsen. 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. You can find out everything about the weird, complex crime in Oxygens weekly. But that attire wasn't his choice at all. 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. When authorities arrived, Brian was found standing in a parking lot outside his car. 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. She was given a life imprisonment sentence by the jury. He told Evil Genius Borzillieri that Wells was aware of the plan but tried backing out after learning the collar bomb was live. Across testimony given by Bill Rothstein, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Kenneth Barnes, and Jessica Hoopsick, none agree with each other 100 percent. TAMPA Austin Wells has been dealt a tough break. 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. 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. 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. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Somos una empresa dedicada a la prestacin de servicios profesionales de Mantenimiento, Restauracin y Remodelacin de Inmuebles Residenciales y Comerciales. According to an FBI affidavit, Rothstein said his former fiance, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, had murdered her own boyfriend, James Roden, and stuffed his body in the freezer. Wells family was present for this announcement and vocally protested the allegation. 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. They had run-ins with her on more than one occasion. 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. On August 28, Wells was forced to go to Erie's PNC Bank to carry out a heist. She had killed her first husband by shooting him six times while he sat on the couch, but successfully managed to convince a jury that it was in self-defense. She was an only child to two parents who ran a successful awning business. But the case has been solved and indictments are expected, likely by next month, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan was to make an official announcement at a Friday afternoon news conference. They might be kidnappings, disappearances, or, yes, murders. Wells is shown sucking on a lollipop inside the bank, wearing a collar bomb and carrying a cane-shaped firearm. The total was $8,702, far short of a quarter million dollars, according to Wired. The Price of Duty 102: Face to Face with the Pizza Bomber. 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. 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. On August 27, 2003, Diehl-Armstrong, Barnes, Wells and other unindicted co-conspirators met to discuss the next days plot. Does anyone have the actual video of the bomb going off or any aftermath pictures? 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. The case involved nearly 1,000 interviews and as many leads, Buchanan said. For cases such as these Personal Injury lawyers are used to build cases and file for compensation. At the time, Wells appeared to be a hostage of the same crime he had just committed. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Ken also said that he and Marjorie had followed Brian to the bank, watching from a vehicle parked across the street. Rothstein died of terminal cancer before he could face any charges, according to multiple news reports. He died of lymphoma less than a year after his phone call to police. By the end of 2004, Marjorie was determined as knowing the difference between right and wrong, and therefore declared competent able to stand trial. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. But before he could make it back to the puppet master, he was apprehended by police, and died when the bomb exploded. A balding man with thick glasses, the only thing that made him stand out was his strange choice in attire. But don't press "play" unprepared or you could find yourself unwittingly witnessing some seriously gruesome stuff. Behind the murder was a woman named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong who suffered from multiple mental illnesses and personality disorders. 25 minutes later, the collar bomb began to beep, a sound that escalated until the moment it exploded, killing Wells. 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 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. In July 2004, investigators tried to get a confession from Bill on his deathbed, but he passed without uttering a useful word. Wells went to deliver the pizzas himself, 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. 11 hours ago, by Eden Arielle Gordon Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Rothstein passed away on July 30, 2004, from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Barnes has said much the same. Mom Allegedly Planned Killings of Sons a Week in Advance, Gave Instructions About Disposing Ashes, Revisiting PEOPLE's 2017 Story on the 'Fitbit Murder': Web of Lies a Wife Killed, a Husband Accused, Cigarette Butt from Site of Wash. Woman's 1995 Murder Helps Police Identify Suspect Decades Later, 'Black Panther' Director Ryan Coogler Speaks Out After Being Mistaken for Bank Robber in Atlanta, Pennsylvania Trio Sentenced for Murdering Domino's Delivery Person They Set Up for Robbery, 19-Year-Old Idaho Man Claimed He Watched His Roommate Commit Suicide Now He's Charged with Murder, Houston Police Officers Hit and Kill Pedestrian During High-Speed Chase, Man Wanted for One of Cleveland's Biggest Heists Lived in Mass. 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. The movie 30 Minutes Or Less basically has the same plot as this crime. Please logout and login again. At the time, police didn't make anything of it, but as they uncovered more clues in the case, they found this hoarding to be a recurring theme in their investigation. On August 28th, Wells entered the Erie, Pennsylvania branch of PNC Financial Services, wearing a bomb around his neck and carrying an unusual shotgun shaped like a walking stick. He was also walking with a cane, which police later found out was an expertly crafted, hand-made handgun. 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. "I'm not lying. 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. 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. According to testimony given during the trial, Wells was deeply in debt to Barnes for crack. Buchanan did not immediately return calls for comment after the meeting, but earlier Friday said she called it because, "In more complicated cases, I like to meet personally with the law enforcement agencies to discuss the case and, in many cases, review the evidence myself.". What Injuries Do Robert J. DeBry Car Accident Lawyers Accept? Buchanan said Wells played a limited role in the planning phase of bank robbery. Armed with Kenneth Barnes' testimony, police put Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong on trial once again, this time for the bomb plot. The caller ordered two sausage and pepperoni pizzas and asked that they be delivered to a road on the edge of town. 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