Shortly after, authorities confronted him at the parking lot of a nearby Eyeglass World retail store. 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 This is an FBI handout photo of the collar device used to secure a bomb to Brian Wells' neck. IE 11 is not supported. At 3:18pm the bomb exploded. 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. However, that day, he discovered it was accurate when it was too late. However, he was only able to get $8,702. Her second husband died of a cerebral hemorrhage, but there was evidence that he actually had a head injury. The vault was on a time delay, and it would take longer than the 15 minutes allotted in his note. As soon as he was gone customers in the bank began dialling 911, and he only made it a few hundred yards in his car before a State Trooper pulled him over. Minutes before a bomb squad arrived, the device Wells was wearing exploded his death captured by local news cameras. Wells went to deliver the pizzas himself, according to Wired. 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. By clicking ACCEPT ALL, you consent to the use of cookies. We know all the details that led up to the death of Brian Wells and all the parties involved," the official said. Pieces of the collarbomb fragmented and shot everywhere. "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.' Brian Wells didnt leave the bank without picking up a lollipop from the counter first. But before he could make it back to the puppet master, he was apprehended by police, and died when the bomb exploded. A man named Bill Rothstein contacted police and told them, quite plainly, that there was a dead man in his freezer, according to All That's Interesting. You can find out everything about the weird, complex crime in Oxygens weekly. 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. Near the end of 2005, police received the final clue that led them to conclude that Brian Wells participated in the robbery. So if you plan to watch Evil Genius but want to avoid witnessing a real person's tragic death, be sure to shut your eyes around 10 minutes in to the first episode . Rothstein died of terminal cancer before he could face any charges, according to multiple news reports. Wells made off with $9,000, the most the teller could give him. The papers were addressed to the Bomb Hostage and contained directions first to rob the bank and then to proceed on an elaborate scavenger hunt for keys and codes to disable the explosive Wells wore. 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. Watch the 23rd episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered season 8, which arrives exclusively on Oxygen on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at 7.00 pm Eastern Time. Brian Wells, a pizza delivery man, robbed a PNC Bank in Pennsylvania on August 28, 2003. D'Ambrosio did not immediately return a message left at his office Friday. The three Black men that Wells claimed forced the collar on him never existed. Rothstein passed away on July 30, 2004, from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 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. 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. This powerful, booby-trapped bomb can be removed only by following our instructions ACT NOW, THINK LATER OR YOU WILL DIE! The notes led Brian on a bizarre scavenger hunt, giving him time extensions on the bomb exploding for each step completed. The bank teller went through emotional distress and would need a personal injury lawyer for her case. 10. 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 . The She would then use proceeds from the robbery to pay Barnes to kill her father and collect an inheritance, the indictment says. In 2007, Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes were indicted for their roles in the deadly bank robbery. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". But that attire wasn't his choice at all. 3. Netflix's four-part docuseries Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist opens with an intense episode focusing on the "pizza bomber" of The investigation into Wells' robbery and death will be covered in tonight's episode of "The Price of Duty," with former FBI detective Jerry Clark recounting how the diabolical bank heist changed his life forever.. Wells' family said he The note was addressed to "Receptionist" and "Bank Manager" and referred to the man in front of her as "Bomb Hostage." The story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. Someone might have taken it, but investigators believe that it was probably never there at all. 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. For better treatment in prison, Diehl-Armstrong would finally tell everything she knew about Brian Wells, the pizza bomber. . Marjories hoarding took police days to clean u. I dont have a lot of time, he said, according to a video WebBrian Douglas Wells Collar Bomb Video. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. A 46-year-old pizza delivery man with a bomb fastened around his neck robbed a Pennsylvania bank in August 2003, walking out with more than $8,000 in cash. The police called in the bomb squad. WebBrian Wells. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Investigators ultimately determined the device, which included four locks and a combination dial, could never have been safely removed. Kenneth Barnes was reportedly a retired TV repairman, a drug dealer, and a friend of Diehl-Armstrong's. 5. Diehl-Armstrong had a history with police, as mentioned earlier. Never have the public at large had so many options when it comes to learning about people committing terrible acts. Wells' brother, John Wells, 44, of Phoenix, said the family won't be happy until justice is meted out. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He had worked for 10 years at Mamma Mia's Pizza-Ria in Erie and was a Pennsylvania native, not a criminal mastermind. all while wearing a bulky contraption around his neck, covered in a T-shirt that ominously read "Guess." It may be that his role transitioned from that of the planning stages to being an unwilling participant in the scheme.. 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. Subscribe at iTunes or Google Play. The world was stunned when Brian Wells strode into a bank armed with a shotgun cane and with a bomb strapped around his neck Credit: SUN. 1. Woman questionedAn attorney, Lawrence D'Ambrosio, has said the FBI has repeatedly interviewed his client about Wells' death. 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. Be the first one to comment on this story. An odd but smart guy, and a retired television repairman. The collar was still attached around Wells' neck, and initial investigations revealed something stunning. 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. MORE: 15 of the Most Fascinating True Crime Stories Ever Told. As Wells was apprehended by the Erie police, the bomb detonated, making a hole in his chest area and killing Wells on the spot. The riveting episode airs exclusively on the popular true crime network Oxygen on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at 7 pm Eastern Time (ET). But don't press "play" unprepared or you could find yourself unwittingly witnessing some seriously gruesome stuff. Brian Wells went from being a planner to being the only murder victim of a Bank Heist. A Wired article about Brian Wells. As Clark predicted, this was no ordinary bank robbery.. Please consult us at Robert J. DeBry & Associates for a professional, experienced lawyer. Wells had told police he had been forced to rob the bank. This was a lengthy and complex investigation, Morrow said. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was convicted for her role in the plot in 2010. Barnes was a misfit friend of Marjories. Either way, Barnes said that Wells and Roden knew the full details of the plot and had been killed to ensure their silence. They had run-ins with her on more than one occasion. 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). Shortly after, authorities arrested Diehl-Armstrong, who later implicated herself and Rothstein in the collar bomb crime. The bomb collar was nothing at all like it was described in the instructions. Afterward, police recovered several pages of handwritten instructions from Wells car. Before his death, Wells was a pizza delivery man who, shortly before his death, made a delivery stop outside of Erie. The people that Wells had met with by the broadcast tower were Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein, and Barnes. Shortly after, Bill was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Until something clearly went wrong, that is. 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. Please consult us at, Wells and his counterparts set a detailed plan in motion on August 28th, 2003. 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. The movie 30 Minutes Or Less basically has the same plot as this crime. Kara Rhodes, Erie Times News reporter, was at the scene; "The bomb went off and there was just silence, it was eerily silent." 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. No ordinary bank robbery him at the parking lot of a nearby Eyeglass World retail store delivery residing. Learning about people committing terrible acts met with by the broadcast tower were Diehl-Armstrong,,... Store the user consent for the cookies is used to store the consent. Husband died of a cerebral hemorrhage, but investigators believe that it was too late give him earlier! Bulky contraption around his neck, covered in a T-shirt that ominously read Guess. 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