What happened to the pizza bomber?
Following an attempt to rob a PNC Bank, and while surrounded by police, Wells was murdered when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated. It is known as the "collar bomb" or "pizza bomber" case.
What happened to the collar bomb case?
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.
What is the collar bomb heist story?
The Incredible True Story of the Collar Bomb Heist. At 2:28 pm on August 28, 2003, a middle-aged pizza deliveryman named Brian Wells walked into a PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania. He had a short cane in his right hand and a strange bulge under the collar of his T-shirt. Wells, 46 and balding, passed the teller a note.
Who was involved in the collar bomb plot?
The bomb was rigged such that any attempt to remove it would set it off. Wells was destined to die. Barnes pleaded guilty in September 2008 to the conspiracy and weapons charges involved in the collar bomb plot. He was sentenced to 45 years behind bars, but he agreed to testify against Diehl-Armstrong in the hope of getting his sentence reduced.
Who was responsible for pizza bomber?
Outside of mental illness she had two components that would make her dangerous, she was extremely intelligent and manipulative. “Marjorie gets credit as the mastermind, but Bill Rothstein was the one who put this all together,” said Clark.
Is Netflix evil genius a true story?
Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist is a 2018 true crime documentary series about the death of Brian Wells, a high-profile 2003 incident often referred to as the "collar bomb" or "pizza bomber" case.
Is Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong dead?
April 4, 2017Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong / Date of death
Did the bomb go off in Evil Genius?
Then the horrific moment the bomb goes off is shown, with Brian's body falling back on to the road. The police offer said: "His eyes just got real wide and then they went to the back of his head and that was the end of him."
What bank robbery movie is based on a true story?
The Bank Job7 The Bank Job The Bank Job is one of the best bank robbery movies of all time because it is based on the real-life Baker Street robbery in 1971 during which the thieves rented a neighboring shop and tunneled 40 feet to the bank. To date, the stolen goods have never been recovered.
What happened to the Evil Genius?
In 2008, Barnes was sentenced to 45 years in prison on bank robbery, conspiracy and weapons charges. In 2011, Diehl-Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison – she died in 2017. Evil Genius is streaming now on Netflix.
Who is the Evil Genius?
Evil Geniuses (EG) is an American esports organization based in Seattle, Washington....Evil Geniuses.Short nameEGFounded1999Based inSeattle, Washington, United StatesCEONicole LaPointe Jameson7 more rows
Is there a movie about Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong?
Netflix bills Evil Genius as the true story of America's most diabolical bank heist, in 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania. I first met Marjorie Diehl Armstrong at Pennsylvania's largest women's prison — SCI Muncy — in November, 2012.
Who is known as Evil Genius?
General Earle Wheeler (Chm JCS 1964-70) has been described as the 'evil genius' behind the war.
Who was the mastermind behind the collar bomb plot?
Barnes confirmed the Feds' belief that Diehl-Armstrong was the mastermind behind the collar-bomb plot. He claimed she needed the cash so that she could pay him to kill her father, who she believed was blowing through his fortune -- money she expected to inherit.
Where did the Wells robbery take place?
The hunt began at Mama Mia's Pizza-Ria. That's where Wells was working at 1.30pm on the day of the robbery, when an order came in for two sausage-and-pepperoni pizzas to be delivered to the outskirts of the city. Wells was a loyal employee -- in ten years, the only time he had called in late was when his cat died.
What did Wells say to the troopers?
Wells told the troopers that while out on a delivery he had been accosted by a group of black men who locked the bomb around his neck at gunpoint and forced him to rob the bank. "It's gonna go off!" he told them in desperation. "I'm not lying." The officers called the bomb squad and took positions behind their cars, guns drawn. Television crews arrived. For 25 minutes Wells remained seated on the pavement, his legs curled beneath him. "Did you call my boss?" Wells asked a trooper at one point, apparently concerned that his employer would think he was shirking his duties. Suddenly, the device started to emit an accelerating beeping noise. Wells fidgeted. It looked like he was trying to scoot backwards, to escape the bomb strapped to his neck. Beep... Beep... Beep. Boom!
Where did the FBI scavenger hunt begin?
The only question was whether the Feds would get any further than Wells had. The hunt began at Mama Mia's Pizza-Ria.
How did the pizza deliveryman die?
The device detonated, blasting him violently on to his back and ripping a 12cm gash in his chest. The pizza deliveryman took a few last gasps and died on the pavement. It was 3.18 pm. The bomb squad arrived three minutes later.
Who was the woman who killed Robert Thomas?
Even before she was arrested for killing Roden, Diehl-Armstrong was one of Erie's most notorious figures, well known for her string of dead lovers. She first drew public attention in 1984 when, at 35, she was charged with murdering her boyfriend, Robert Thomas.
How long did the Pittsburgh bombing last?
The bomb exploded before bomb technicians arrived. Ray Morrow, special agent in charge of the FBI’s 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.
What happened to the pizza delivery man?
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.
What was the bomb in the Wells car?
The police began sorting through a trove of physical evidence. In Wells' car, they discovered the 2-foot-long cane, which turned out to be an ingeniously crafted homemade gun. The bomb itself was likewise a marvel of DIY design and construction. The device consisted of two parts: a triple-banded metal collar with four keyholes and a three-digit combination lock, and an iron box containing two 6-inch pipe bombs loaded with double-base smokeless powder. The hinged collar locked around Wells' neck like a giant handcuff. Investigators could tell that it had been built using professional tools. The device also contained two Sunbeam kitchen timers and one electronic countdown timer. It had wires running through it that connected to nothing—decoys to throw off would-be disablers—and stickers bearing deceptive warnings. The contraption was a puzzle in and of itself.
What did Wells tell the troopers?
Wells told the troopers that while out on a delivery he had been accosted by a group of black men who chained the bomb around his neck at gunpoint and forced him to rob the bank. "It's gonna go off!" he told them in desperation. "I'm not lying." The officers called the bomb squad and took positions behind their cars, guns drawn. TV camera crews arrived and began filming. For 25 minutes Wells remained seated on the pavement, his legs curled beneath him.
Where did the FBI scavenger hunt begin?
The only question was whether the Feds would get any further than Wells had. The hunt began at Mama Mia's Pizza-Ria.
What happened to Barnes in 2008?
Barnes pleaded guilty in September 2008 to the conspiracy and weapons charges involved in the collar bomb plot. He was sentenced to 45 years behind bars, but he agreed to testify against Diehl-Armstrong in the hope of getting his sentence reduced.
Where was Wells working on the day of the robbery?
That's where Wells was working at 1:30 pm on the day of the robbery, when an order came in for two small sausage-and-pepperoni pies to be delivered to a location on the outskirts of the city. Wells was a loyal employee—in 10 years, the only time he had called in late for work was when his cat died.
Who was the man who killed Wells?
After spending about 15 minutes at Rothstein's place, they took off. Bill Rothstein may have appeared to be just a man who owned a house next to a TV tower. But he turned out to be hiding a dark secret. On September 20, less than a month after the bomb killed Wells, Rothstein called 911.
Who was the woman who killed Robert Thomas?
Even before she was arrested for killing Roden, Diehl-Armstrong was one of Erie's most notorious figures, well known for her string of dead lovers. She first drew public attention in 1984 when, at 35, she was charged with murdering her boyfriend, Robert Thomas. Diehl-Armstrong claimed she shot him six times in self-defense, and a jury eventually acquitted her. Four years later, her husband, Richard Armstrong, died of a cerebral hemorrhage. The death was ruled accidental, but questions lingered; Armstrong had a head injury when he arrived at the hospital, but the case was never forwarded to the coroner's office.
What was the bomb used in the killing of the sailor?
The bomb used in the killing consisted of a hinged collar that worked like a large handcuff to go around the neck, four keyholes that went under the chin, and a rectangular section that contained two pipe bombs and two kitchen timers. One electronic timer hung down over the chest. The device had several decoys, such as unconnected wires, a toy cell phone, and stickers bearing deceptive warnings.
Who was indicted for bank robbery?
A federal grand jury indicted Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes on charges of bank robbery, conspiracy, and weapons charges. Fellow co-conspirator William "Bill" Rothstein had died and his roommate Floyd Stockton was given immunity from prosecution so he could testify against Diehl-Armstrong.
Why did Diehl-Armstrong kill Roden?
She is believed to have killed Roden to prevent him from informing authorities about the robbery plot .
How many pages did the bomb hostage have?
Wells' corpse was found with nine pages of lengthy, hand-written instructions addressed to "Bomb Hostage" telling him to rob the bank. The instructions also included a treasure hunt, listing a series of strictly timed tasks of collecting keys that would delay detonation and eventually defuse the bomb.
Who was the pizza delivery man who was killed?
Brian Douglas Wells (November 15, 1956 – August 28, 2003) was an American pizza delivery man who was murdered during a complex plot involving a bank robbery, scavenger hunt, and homemade explosive device near his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania. Following an attempt to rob a PNC Bank, and while surrounded by police, Wells was murdered when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated. It is known as the "collar bomb" or "pizza bomber" case. The incident was shown live on television.
Did Wells die in the bank robbery?
Family and friends of Wells dispute his involvement in the bank robbery and his own death; according to them, Wells was accosted at gunpoint and forced to wear the bomb.
Was Wells a participant in the bank robbery?
Investigators 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.
Where are the collar bomb conspirators now?
Rothstein died of terminal cancer before he could face any charges, according to multiple news reports. Diehl-Armstrong died of natural causes at a Texas prison on April 4, 2017, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said. She had also been diagnosed with cancer, the Erie Times-News reported at the time. On top of her sentence for killing her boyfriend, Diehl-Armstrong, 68, was serving a life sentence after being convicted for her role in the robbery. She was found guilty of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery and armed bank robbery, officials said.
Who was the robber of the bank in the collar bomb case?
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.
Who was responsible?
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 scavenger hunt notes contained language like “we” and “us,” implying there were multiple conspirators involved.
What charges did Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes face?
Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes were both eventually convicted of conspiracy and armed bank robbery charges.
Who killed James Roden?
According to an FBI affidavit, Rothstein said his former fiancée, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, had murdered her own boyfriend, James Roden, and stuffed his body in the freezer. Shortly after, authorities arrested Diehl-Armstrong, who later implicated herself and Rothstein in the collar bomb crime.
Was Hoopsick a conspirator?
Hoopsick, who was never officially deemed a conspirator, could not be reached for comment by TIME. 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.
Was Brian Wells a bank robber?
Authorities said Wells then admitted to being the PNC bank robber. He claimed to have been attacked by a group of black men who he said tied the bomb to his body, court documents show. This is an FBI handout photo of the collar device used to secure a bomb to Brian Wells' neck. Getty Images—Getty Images.
Collar Bomb Theories
Rothstein was a 6’6″ hoarder who only wore dungarees and chest pouches filled with pens and notebooks. He spoke multiple languages, was an engineer and a high school shop or introductory mechanics teacher.
Rothstein agreed to testify against Marjorie for immunity
He was placed in custody hours later. Rothstein agreed to testify against Marjorie for immunity. Rothstein told the police that he had been feeling incredibly guilty and at one point was considering suicide. Police found a suicide note in a desk at his home. Interestingly, the note started with “this has nothing to do with the Wells case”.
FBI profile fit both Rothstein and Diehl-Armstrong
She seemed like the type that would make a bank heist more complicated than it needed to be. And she also seemed to be the type that would need to brag about her genius plan. The FBI made a profile of the collar bomber, based on behavioral analysis.
Collar Bomb Aftermath
In February 2011, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison, plus 30 years for her role in the heist. Diehl-Armstrong claimed on her first day on the stand that she never knew Brian Wells. And also said she had never heard of him until he was on the news.