brian wells bomb injury

WebAt 2:28 pm on August 28, 2003, a middle-aged pizza deliveryman named Brian Wells walked into a PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, Rothstein was in a romantic relationship with Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong. The robbery was merely a setup for her to acquire $250,000 to pay a hitman Barnes himself. 10 Pieces Of Evidence To Give A Car Accident Lawyer. Para nosotros usted es lo ms importante, le ofrecemosservicios rpidos y de calidad. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Around midday on August 28 2003, 46-year-old delivery driver Brian Wells clocked in for his usual lunchtime shift at Mama Mias Pizzeria in Erie, Pennsylvania. Before his death, Wells was a pizza delivery man who, shortly before his death, made a delivery stop outside of Erie. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Magazines, Digital For cases such as these Personal Injury lawyers are used to build cases and file for compensation. Acellphone was inside the case but wasn't wired to anything. Wells made off with $9,000, the most the teller could give him. 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. This was the first task of a scavenger hunt that he claimed would save his life. Subscribe at iTunes or Google Play. 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. Detecto una fuga de gas en su hogar o negocio. According to the indictment, heres how it happened: Ray Morrow, special agent in charge of the FBIs 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. He was a pizza delivery driver and he had a clean criminal record. When authorities arrived, Brian was found standing in a parking lot outside his car. When questioned, Marjorie tried to pin Rothstein as the mastermind since he had already died. But perhaps one of the strangest and most unique crimes in history was none of these things. Whatever story youre conjuring up in your mind to go with pizza bomber," the reality is likely crazier. The Pizza Bomber: The Crazy Real-Life Story, believe Rothstein was responsible for the crime. 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.". If not for losing his life, he could have gotten a personal injury lawyer and built a case against them. Behind the murder was a woman named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong who suffered from multiple mental illnesses and personality disorders. The infamous pizza bomber narrative isas explosive as it sounds--although filled with more twists and turns than actual pizza. Pennsylvania pizza deliveryman Brian Wells, 46, leaned against a police car in handcuffs and begged authorities to defuse the explosive device locked around his neck. 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. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". He, too, died in prison in 2019. The collar was still attached around Wells' neck, and initial investigations revealed something stunning. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. To be fair, it's not a terrible plan, and it seems at first, Wells was only meant to wear a fake bomb. As was later proved in court, Diehl-Armstrong hatched the robbery scheme to force Wells into the PNC Bank in Erie with a ticking bomb around his neck because she apparently needed money so she that could have her father killed. Collar-Bomb Case Charges in Bizarre 03 Bank Heist. They had uncovered evidence that he was actually in on the plot and worked with the perpetrators as an accomplice, according to Wired. 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. 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. If not for losing his life, he could have gotten a personal injury lawyer and built a case Watch tonight's episode of "The Price of Duty" to find out more about the case. 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. After his death, police collected letters in his car that corroborated his claim that he was forced to rob the PNC Bank. Can A Car Accident Lawyer Help Me Maximize Compensation? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Buchanan said the investigation has been complicated by the deaths of at least two witnesses. Barnes has said much the same. 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. 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. Brian Wells' family denied these claims at the time and continue to do so to this day. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes both face initial appearances in federal court this week. Or, at least, that was the story, but in an interview for Netflix's 2018 mini-series about the case, Evil Genius, Hoopsick claimed that this wasn't actually true. Minutes before a bomb squad arrived, the device Wells was wearing exploded his death captured by local news cameras. 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 and his t-shirt with Guess spray painted across it. While the Troopers kept their distance from Wells, waiting for the bomb squad to arrive and confirm the bomb story, the device around Wells neck suddenly stopped beeping. Initially, Wells thought he was an active planner in the robbery but would realize that his diabolical accomplices Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Bill Rothstein, and Kenneth Barnes made him an unwilling participant. 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. He is expected to be released in 2027, prison officials said. Marjorie said he had fallen, and the coroner corroborated, saying the death was accidental. "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.' It just got weirder and weirder as the years went on, and there are still some unanswered questions, too. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! At about 2 p.m., the co-conspirators attached the bomb device to Wellss neck. Namely, why Wells, a pizza guy with no criminal record, agreed to participate despite knowing that Diehl-Armstrong was dangerous. Wells went to deliver the pizzas himself, according to Wired. The police went straight to Bills house--and found Marjorie there, sitting in the bed. He told Evil Genius Borzillieri that Wells was aware of the plan but tried backing out after learning the collar bomb was live. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from POPSUGAR. In interviews, Rothstein cooperated and told police that he didn't kill James Roden. 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 . Brian Douglas Wells was 46-years-old and wasn't a bank robber. 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. As Wells was apprehended by the Erie police, the bomb detonated, making a hole in his chest area and killing Wells on the spot. Sanitiza tu hogar o negocio con los mejores resultados. They used the time limits from the pages and found that it was physically impossible for someone to complete the steps necessary in the 55 total minutes allotted. Wells began to panic and squirm on the ground, pleading with police to help him. 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. For better treatment in prison, Diehl-Armstrong would finally tell everything she knew about Brian Wells, the pizza bomber. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Evil Genius trailer. Is it a coincidence that Roden's body had been stored in Bill's freezer (pictured above)? Initially, Wells thought he was an active planner in the robbery but would realize that his diabolical accomplices Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Bill Rothstein, and Kenneth Barnes made him an unwilling participant. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was convicted for her role in the plot in 2010. Ken pled guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 45 years in prison, and on the stand, he testified against Marjorie.Ken also said that he and Marjorie had followed Brian to the bank, watching from a vehicle parked across the street. The astounding true story is chronicled in episode 23 of the series' season 8. All right, well we've had those before, and many times you arrive on scene and they're hoax devices. 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. 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. Maybe there was another person manipulating Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein, and Wells who has never been identified. Your login session has expired. At 1:30 PM, he was called to deliver two pizzas at an address at the end of a dirt road on Peach Street. WebBrian Wells: The Pizza Bomber Case eponine aka epi 1.07K subscribers Subscribe 69 Share 10K views 3 years ago Welcome (back)! The story of Brian Wells is about a pizza delivery guy, a bomb collar, and a bank robbery. Wells was handcuffed and left on the pavement. 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 is alleged to have supplied two egg timers that were used in the collar bomb. So what happened in that four year gap that led police to conclude that Wells was a collaborator and not a hostage? 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. The scavenger hunt was intended to sell the hostage story and throw the police off. 3. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Bank employees phoned police. They lived together for nine years without event. However, instead of bombs, information is the explosive motivator. Rob Thomas happened to die when Marjorie was 38--because she shot him SIX TIMES while he slept. Somewhere along the planning phase, they deceived Wells that he would be wearing a fake bomb. It was also Diehl-Armstrong who swapped the fake bomb for a real one. Diehl-Armstrong was the plot's mastermind, according to Barnes. She was given a life imprisonment sentence by the jury. It was his ex-girlfriend, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, who had shot him. Mere seconds later, it exploded, leaving a 5-inch gash in Wells chest. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This is one of the most movie-esque murder plots ever committed and its the subject of Oxygens weekly "Martinis & Murder" podcast. 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." But at a 2007 news conference that drew the ire of Wells family, prosecutors said he was not entirely innocent and had a limited role in planning the robbery. Netflixs new four-part docuseries Evil Genius: The True Story of Americas Most Diabolical Bank Heist, dives into a high-profile 2003 crime known as the collar bomb case. She was an only child to two parents who ran a successful awning business. According to police, Wells himself helped plan the scheme and agreed to wear the collar to throw authorities off the trail and let his co-conspirators get away with a bank robbery. He handed the teller a note demanding $250,000. 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. 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. You have reached your limit of free articles. But don't press "play" unprepared or you could find yourself unwittingly witnessing some seriously gruesome stuff. 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. He was instructed to get $250,000 within 15 minutes. After Marjorie broke off the engagement, she really began struggling with her mental disorders, including bipolar and depression. However, he was only able to get $8,702. After Wells came out of the bank, a bank employee quickly called the police. Posted on July 30, 2011 by Vincit Omnia Veritas. She would not say if Rothstein, who died of cancer in July 2004, was one of those witnesses. She earned another 30 years for using a bomb in the crime. 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.. She was deemed disabled due to her psychological condition, and got disability payments from Social Security, on top of the hospital pay out and help from her father, who bought her a house. Wells told police that the bomb on his neck was on a timer and that hed been forced to rob the bank. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Like Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein was highly intelligent and had a history of metalwork and machining, making it likely that he created the bomb collar itself. By clicking ACCEPT ALL, you consent to the use of cookies. Police even suspected he might not have been aware that the bomb was real until it started beeping. In July 2004, investigators tried to get a confession from Bill on his deathbed, but he passed without uttering a useful word. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. Furthermore, they followed the trail to the second clue's location, where Wells was headed when apprehended by police, and found that the clue wasn't even there, according to All That's Interesting. Buchanan said Wells played a limited role in the planning phase of bank robbery. According to the story that Wells later told police, he was working an ordinary shift at Mamma Mia's when the phone rang. You can find out everything about the weird, complex crime in Oxygens weekly. 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. The keyholes on the collar did nothing. Wells' brother, John Wells, 44, of Phoenix, said the family won't be happy until justice is meted out. She said the investigators set her up and the government framed her, and that Bill was the true mastermind.The jury reached a verdict on November 1st , 2010, finding Marjorie guilty. 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. Barnes was a misfit friend of Marjories. 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 on What happened? While investigating, the FBI got another tip involving Kenneth Barnes, who confirmed their suspicion that Marjorie was the mastermind. Wells would be the delivery driver. Shortly after, authorities arrested Diehl-Armstrong, who later implicated herself and Rothstein in the collar bomb crime. Roden had been Marjorie's then-current boyfriend, and she had killed him in an argument about money, according to Wired. They were for shotguns. The case involved nearly 1,000 interviews and as many leads, Buchanan said. It was merely two pipe bombs and kitchen timers, according to Wired. He was born on November 15, 1956, to Rose Wells and Harold Wells in Warren, Pennsylvania. 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 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. On August 27, 2003, Diehl-Armstrong, Barnes, Wells and other unindicted co-conspirators met to discuss the next days plot. Here at Robert J. DeBry & Associates we analyze cases such as these and help those who need to build cases for wrongful death, injury and more.

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