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. Ken also said that he and Marjorie had followed Brian to the bank, watching from a vehicle parked across the street. In interviews, Rothstein cooperated and told police that he didn't kill James Roden. 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. He walked out about 12 minutes later with $8,702. MORE: 15 of the Most Fascinating True Crime Stories Ever Told. 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. She was unable to access more than $8,702, which he took. They lived together for nine years without event. Probably not.. The By Subject- Art Theft - Civil Rights - Counterterrorism - Crimes Against Children - Criminal Justice Information Services - Cyber Crimes - Director/FBI Leadership - Field Cases - Foreign Counterintelligence - General - History - Intelligence - International - Lab/Operational Technology - Linguist/Translation Program - Major Thefts/Violent Crime - Organized Crime/Drugs - Partnerships - Public/Community Outreach - Public Corruption - Recruiting/Diversity - Responding to Your Concerns - Technology - Training - White-Collar Crime. 7. 3. WebBrian Douglas Wells (November 15, 1956 August 28, 2003) was an American man who died after a homemade neck- bomb exploded while being involved in a plot involving a bank robbery in Erie, Pennsylvania. And that was the end of him, Lamont King, a former Pennsylvania State Police supervisor, says in the documentary. 'We know all the details'"The government knows what happened the day of the incident. Police even suspected he might not have been aware that the bomb was real until it started beeping. Wells began to panic and squirm on the ground, pleading with police to help him. Nothing more complicated than that. Rothstein would have a better chance with a personal injury lawyer for his case. 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. On August 28, 2003, pizza guy Brian Wells took one last delivery on his route in Erie, Pennsylvania, before finishing his shift. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! "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.' 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. He claimed to have been attacked by a group of black men who he said tied the bomb to his body, court documents show. Wells reportedly needed money for his own debts. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. At 1:30 PM, he was called to deliver two pizzas at an address at the end of a dirt road on Peach Street. The police arrested Marjorie for the shooting. 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 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 men jumped him, forced the bomb collar on him, and gave him several pages of instructions and the shotgun-cane. Somewhere along the planning phase, they deceived Wells that he would be wearing a fake bomb. However, in one twist among many, it was not realistically possible for Wells to complete the instructions in enough time to save himself from the bomb. Thats what led Marjorie to come up with the bank robbery plot. She conspired to rob the bank to get money so that she could pay a man named Kenneth Barnes to take the life of her own father. Marjories first boyfriend was named Rob Thomas. The state troopers kept a safe distance as Wells repeatedly warned them that the bomb would blow. Wells, 46, was killed Thursday afternoon when a bomb attached to the collar exploded after a bank robbery. As she got older, though, her mental condition began to worsen. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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 broke first and gave up. Brian Wells, originally named Brian Douglas Wells, was reportedly a pizza delivery man residing in Erie, Pennsylvania. By clicking ACCEPT ALL, you consent to the use of cookies. Police had surrounded Wells, 46, a short time after he robbed a PNC Bank branch outside Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. They detained Wells and placed him outside of a police vehicle, where he sat on the ground in a parking lot. 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. Rothstein was a compulsive hoarder, with trash and various knick-knacks piled high across his house. In 2007, Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes were indicted for their roles in the deadly bank robbery. It also describes violent content that some audiences may find disturbing. According to Rothstein, he hadn't even spoken to Diehl-Armstrong for a long time before she called and asked if he would help her hide Roden's body. The sentence would begin as soon as she finished serving her time, or was paroled, for killing James Roden. They asked Ken to help with the timing mechanism on the bomb. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! At 3:18pm the bomb exploded. 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 This led to even more twists being revealed. All right, well we've had those before, and many times you arrive on scene and they're hoax devices. 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 Woman questionedAn attorney, Lawrence D'Ambrosio, has said the FBI has repeatedly interviewed his client about Wells' death. 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. by Sarah Wasilak I dont have a lot of time, he said, according to a video 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. 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 1. Subscribe at iTunes or Google Play. Compatriots of the plotters were watching him every step of the way and could remotely detonate the bomb if he didn't follow instructions. The indictment alleges that Diehl-Armstrong solicited Barnes in July 2003 to help rob a bank. This was the first task of a scavenger hunt that he claimed would save his life. Instead, it was Bill Rothstein pulling all the strings. In 1984, she murdered her next boyfriend, Robert Thomas, in his sleep, shooting him six times. The device was attached to his neck like a large handcuff, and was beeping. 1 day ago, by Chanel Vargas 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. He had a bomb locked around his neck like a handcuff, resulting in a giant protrusion out the front of his t-shirt. The Price of Duty 102: Face to Face with the Pizza Bomber. The bomb collar he wore was going to explode, Wells said. She earned another 30 years for using a bomb in the crime. Does anyone have the actual video of the bomb going off or any aftermath pictures? Wells' family has said they believe he was just a victim, and have criticized the pace of the investigation. This is an FBI handout photo of the collar device used to secure a bomb to Brian Wells' neck. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. Death Of Brian Wells Matthew Cipolla 3.29K subscribers Subscribe 827 130K views 1 year ago ERIE Show more Show more Notice Age-restricted video 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 She was acquitted of the crime because it was believed he was violent and abusive towards her. He was also a part of the pizza collar bomb case. 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. Not only was his life at stake, but the lives of those around him and his family and friends. Later on, it was disclosed that a woman named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong planned the entire crime. Wells, 46, never returned to the pizza shop. Previously, investigators made only one of these pages available to the media. 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. I dont have a lot of time, he said, according to a video recording of the encounter. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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 riveting episode airs exclusively on the popular true crime network Oxygen on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at 7 pm Eastern Time (ET). The collar bomb exploded, leaving a 5-inch gash on his chest. On the stand, Marjorie gave a long and rambling testimony (possibly a symptom of bipolar). At a news conference announcing the indictments, Mary Beth Buchanan, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania at the time, said Wells had also been part of the plot. Rothstein, meanwhile, was charged for his involvement with the crime, but never saw his day in court. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes both face initial appearances in federal court this week. Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the Netflix docuseries Evil Genius. The official synopsis for Oxygen's Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode, titled, Death Trap, reads: The bone-chilling case dates back to August 2003. The people that Wells had met with by the broadcast tower were Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein, and Barnes. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. 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. IE 11 is not supported. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". It does not store any personal data. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Minutes later, with police surrounding him nearby, that man, Brian Wells, pleaded for help. Brian Wells' life tragically ended when he was forced to take part in a PNC Bank heist with a metal collar explosive around his neck. Witnesses at the scene alleged that he walked out of the bank calmly and seemingly unperturbed. 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