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Death of Brian Wells

January 01, 1970

On August 28, 2003, pizza delivery man Brian Douglas Wells robbed a PNC Bank near his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, United States. Upon being apprehended by police, Wells died when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated. The FBI investigation into his death uncovered a complex plot described as "one of the most complicated and bizarre crimes in the annals of the FBI".[1]

Brian Wells
Wells' drivers license photo
Born
Brian Douglas Wells

(1956-11-15)November 15, 1956[citation needed]
DiedAugust 28, 2003(2003-08-28) (aged 46)
Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Cause of deathCollar bomb explosion
NationalityAmerican
OccupationPizza delivery driver

In conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the FBI investigation led to Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes being charged with the crime in 2007. The investigation determined the plot was masterminded by Diehl-Armstrong to receive an inheritance by hiring Barnes with the money from the bank robbery to kill her father. William Rothstein and Floyd Stockton were also found to have conspired in the crime, but Rothstein died before being charged and Stockton was granted immunity in exchange for testifying against Diehl-Armstrong. Diehl-Armstrong was sentenced in 2011 to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, and Barnes received a reduced sentence of 22½ years in exchange for testifying against Diehl-Armstrong; both died in prison.

Wells' involvement in the plot is a matter of controversy. Investigators concluded Wells was a willing participant in the robbery, but was told the bomb was fake. Wells' family said he was forced to rob the bank by the conspirators. Known as the collar bomb case or pizza bomber case, the incident gained extensive media coverage, including the 2018 Netflix series Evil Genius.

Biography edit

In 1973, when Wells was a 16-year-old sophomore, he dropped out of East High School in Erie, Pennsylvania and went to work as a mechanic.[2]

Conspirators edit

At Kenneth Barnes' home, he, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, and William Rothstein discussed ways they could make money. Diehl-Armstrong suggested Barnes kill her father, Harold Diehl, so she would receive an inheritance. Barnes told her he was willing to do this for US$250,000 (equivalent to $414,074 in 2023).[3] The collar bomb-bank robbery plot was hatched to obtain enough money to pay Barnes to kill Diehl-Armstrong's father.[a] In return for a reduced sentence, Barnes later told investigators that Diehl-Armstrong was the mastermind of the crime and that she wanted the money to pay Barnes to kill her father, whom she reportedly believed was squandering her inheritance.[5]

Diehl-Armstrong, Barnes, and Rothstein all seem to have suffered from compulsive hoarding.[6][7]

Marjorie Eleanor Diehl-Armstrong (February 26, 1949 – April 4, 2017) had a history of suffering from multiple mental illnesses including bipolar disorder.[6] Before her mental health deteriorated in her twenties, Diehl-Armstrong was an "exemplary student" in high school and earned a master's degree from Gannon College.[6][8] In 1984, she shot her boyfriend Robert Thomas six times as he lay on the couch but was acquitted on claims of self-defense.[6][9] Her husband and several other partners also died under suspicious circumstances.[10] Diehl-Armstrong died from breast cancer in prison at age 68 on April 4, 2017.[11][6]

Kenneth Barnes (1954 – June 20, 2019) was a retired television repairman, crack dealer, and Diehl-Armstrong's "fishing buddy". He suffered from diabetes and died in prison on June 20, 2019, at the age of 64–65.[12]

William Ansel Rothstein (January 17, 1944 – July 30, 2004) dated Diehl-Armstrong in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was implicated in a 1977 murder after he gave a handgun to a friend who used it to murder a romantic rival; he later attempted to destroy the weapon but was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony.[13] Rothstein was a handyman and part-time shop teacher, and was part of a group called the "fractured intellectuals"— intelligent people who were not well-adjusted.[14] Rothstein was admitted to the Millcreek Community Hospital on July 23, 2004, having previously been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma showing diffuse, large-cell type myeloproliferative lymphoma, and died on July 30 that year at the age of 60.[15][5] Rothstein was the putative creator of the collar bomb.

Floyd Arthur "Jay" Stockton Jr. (1947 – August 10, 2022) was a convicted rapist of a disabled teenager.[16] Stockton lived as a fugitive at Rothstein's house. He was granted immunity for his testimony against Diehl-Armstrong, but was never called to testify in court due to illness.[1] Stockton died of acute respiratory failure in Bellingham, Washington at the age of 74–75. His death was ruled accidental.[17]

Conspirators' connection to Wells edit

Immediately after his death, investigators searched Wells' house and found a list of people he knew, including two prostitutes unknown to other members of his family. One of the prostitutes he frequented, Jessica Hoopsick, knew Kenneth Barnes, who dealt crack and whose house was used by prostitutes.[18][19]

Wells as conspirator edit

According to law enforcement reports, Wells participated in the planning of the bank robbery the day before and was aware of the complex plot; he believed the bomb would be fake but would serve as exculpatory evidence if he was caught.[20][21] According to an FBI affidavit, two witnesses confirmed that Wells talked about the robbery about a month before it occurred.[1] Wells was seen leaving Rothstein's house the day before the incident, and investigators believe he participated in a rehearsal. It was believed Wells was killed to reduce the number of witnesses.[19]

Wells' family and friends 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.[22]

Jessica Hoopsick, a woman who was Wells' friend, confessed on the Netflix documentary Evil Genius that she set Wells up to participate in the crime by providing his name and delivery schedule to one of the conspirators in exchange for money and drugs.[2][23] She said he had no knowledge of the robbery.

The crime edit

Collar bomb edit

 
Triple-banded metal collar that was locked around Wells's neck and which ultimately killed him

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 housing containing 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.[5]

Pizza delivery edit

For 10 years Wells worked as a pizza delivery driver at the Mama Mia's Pizzeria in Erie until his death.[24][25] Just after 1:30 p.m. on August 28, 2003, the pizzeria received a call from a payphone at a nearby gas station. The owner could not understand the customer and passed the phone to Wells, who received a call to deliver two pizzas to 8631 Peach Street, an address a few miles from the pizzeria. The address was the location of the transmitting tower of WSEE-TV at the end of a dirt road.[26]

According to law enforcement, upon arriving at the television tower, Wells found the plot had changed and learned the bomb was real. Wells' family disputes this account of the events at the television tower; according to them, Wells was accosted at gunpoint by strangers and forced to participate.[22] The details of events at the tower that led to the bomb being attached to Wells' neck have never been firmly established, but evidence suggests there was a struggle and that Barnes, Diehl-Armstrong, Rothstein, and Stockton were all present at that time.[27]

In interviews by law enforcement, Stockton claimed to be the one to put the bomb around Wells' neck. When Wells discovered that the bomb was real, Barnes said a pistol was fired in order to force Wells' compliance, and witnesses confirmed hearing a gunshot.[28] After the bomb was applied, Wells was given a sophisticated home-made shotgun, which had the appearance of an unusually shaped cane.[29][30]

Wells was instructed to claim that three black men had forced the bomb on him and were holding him as a hostage.[31]

Scavenger hunt edit

Inside Wells' car police found nine pages of handwritten instructions addressed to "Bomb Hostage," directing him to rob the bank. The instructions also included a scavenger hunt, listing a series of strictly-timed tasks of collecting keys that would delay detonation and eventually defuse the bomb. The pages warned that Wells would be under constant surveillance and any attempts to contact authorities would result in the bomb's detonation. "ACT NOW, THINK LATER OR YOU WILL DIE!" was scrawled at the bottom of the instructions.[5]

Robbery edit

Wells was instructed to "quietly" enter the PNC Bank at Summit Towne Center on Peach Street and give the teller an affixed note demanding $250,000, and to use his shotgun to threaten anyone who did not cooperate or attempted to flee. Upon entering the bank around 2:30 p.m., Wells slid the note to a teller.[32] The note stated the bomb would explode in fifteen minutes and that the full amount must be handed over within that time. The teller was unable to access the vault that quickly and gave Wells a bag containing $8,702, with which he exited the bank.[32][33]

At 2:38, a witness called 9-1-1 from the bank and reported a male leaving the bank with "a bomb or something wrapped around his neck". This is the first-known emergency call for the incident.[34] According to witnesses at the bank and surveillance footage, after entering the bank, Wells waited in line. When he reached the counter, he began sucking a lollipop. He appeared confident as he left the bank, swinging his cane gun and the bag of money "like Charlie Chaplin" according to one witness.[35]

Arrest and death edit

 
A map showing key locations of the case

Around fifteen minutes after Wells left the bank, he had completed the first task of the scavenger hunt. He was proceeding with the second task when police saw him standing outside his automobile and promptly arrested him, handcuffed him and left him sitting on the ground in the parking lot. Wells said three unnamed black people had placed a bomb around his neck, provided him with the shotgun, and told him they would kill him unless he committed the robbery and completed several other tasks.[5]

The responding police officers did not attempt to disarm the device, instead focusing on clearing the immediate area of pedestrians and ensuring Wells could not detonate the device.[34] The bomb squad was first called at 3:04 p.m., at least thirty minutes after the first 9-1-1 call from the bank and about ten minutes after Wells was arrested. At 3:18, three minutes before the bomb squad arrived, the bomb detonated and blasted a fist-sized hole in Wells's chest, killing him in seconds.[5][36] Traffic congestion in the area delayed the bomb squad's arrival but personnel from the ATF still considered their response appropriately quick.[34]

Aftermath edit

WJET-TV, Erie's ABC affiliate, broadcast the event live on the air, but did not show the moment of the detonation due to a technical problem.[37] The station provided the footage to FBI investigators, ABC's head office, and sister station WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York. The footage was subsequently leaked to a shock jock on DC101, a radio station in Washington, D.C. who posted it on his website in September 2003. Although he subsequently removed the video at WJET's request, by then it had been posted to numerous video-sharing websites.[38]

Though the note claimed Wells would gain extra time by each key found, police later traveled the note's route and could not complete it in the allotted time, implying Wells would not have had enough time to get the bomb defused.[19] The collar of the bomb was still intact so authorities were forced to sever Wells' head from his body so the bomb could be retained and investigated.[23]

Death of Robert Pinetti edit

The case also involved two further deaths linked to the conspirators. On August 31, 2003, Wells's coworker at the pizza store and its only other delivery driver, Robert Thomas Pinetti, was found dead in his home after suffering a drug overdose.[39]

Murder of James Roden edit

On September 20, 2003, Rothstein, who lived near the television tower, called police to inform them the body of a man, James Roden, was hidden in a freezer in a garage at his house. After he telephoned police, Rothstein wrote a suicide note indicating his planned death had nothing to do with Wells.[10] Investigators do not believe Rothstein ever attempted suicide.[40]

Roden had been living with Diehl-Armstrong for 10 years. In custody, Rothstein claimed Diehl-Armstrong had murdered her then-boyfriend Roden with a 12-gauge shotgun during a dispute over money. Rothstein said she subsequently paid him $2,000 to help hide the body and clean the crime scene at her house.[13]

In January 2005, Diehl-Armstrong pleaded guilty but mentally ill to third degree murder and abuse of a corpse for killing Roden and was sentenced to between seven and twenty years in prison. She is believed to have killed Roden to prevent him from informing authorities about the robbery plot.[41]

Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes charged edit

In April 2005, Diehl-Armstrong told a state trooper she had information about the Wells case and after meeting with FBI agents, said she would tell them everything she knew if she was transferred from the Muncy Correctional Institution to a minimum-security prison in Cambridge Springs. During a series of interviews, Diehl-Armstrong admitted to providing the kitchen timers used for the bomb, stated Rothstein masterminded the plot and that Wells had been directly involved in the plan.[42]

In late 2005, Barnes, who was in jail on unrelated drug charges, was turned in by his brother-in-law after revealing details of the crime to him. On September 3, 2008, Barnes pleaded guilty to conspiring to rob a bank and to aiding and abetting.[28][43] On December 3 that year, he was sentenced to 45 years in prison by a federal judge in Erie for his role in the crime.[44] Barnes's sentence was later reduced to 22.5 years after he testified against Diehl-Armstrong.[45]

In July 2007, U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes had been charged with the crime, with Diehl-Armstrong as the mastermind. The deceased Rothstein and Wells were named as un-indicted co-conspirators.[20] Buchanan stated Wells had been involved in the plot from the beginning but that his co-conspirators fitted him with a real bomb that would have exploded even if it were removed.[21][46]

Diehl-Armstrong trial edit

On July 29, 2008, U.S. District Court Judge Sean J. McLaughlin made an initial finding that Diehl-Armstrong was mentally incompetent to stand trial due to a number of mental disorders, indicating this ruling would be reviewed after she had received a period of treatment in a mental hospital.[47] Diehl-Armstrong was then transferred for treatment to a federal mental-health facility in Texas. On February 24, 2009, Judge McLaughlin scheduled a hearing for March 11, 2010, to determine whether Diehl-Armstrong was now competent to stand trial.[48] On September 9, the judge determined she was now competent. In October 2010, Diehl-Armstrong took the stand to testify on her own behalf as part of her defense.[49] She asked for a change of venue, arguing extensive media coverage of the case prevented her from receiving a fair trial in Erie. Judge McLaughlin denied this request, noting while the allegations were unusual, "the [news] coverage as a whole has been about as factual and objective as it could be under the circumstances".[50]

On November 1, 2010, Diehl-Armstrong was convicted of armed bank robbery, conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, and of using a destructive device in a crime.[51] On February 28, 2011, she was sentenced to life in prison, to be served consecutively with the prison term imposed in 2005 for killing Roden.[52] In November 2012, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed her conviction.[53] In January 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court denied her petition for certiorari, declining to hear her case.[53][54] In December 2015, Diehl-Armstrong lost a second appeal of her conviction.[55]

Hoopsick confession edit

In 2018, Jessica Hoopsick admitted to her involvement in the plot. Melissa Chan of Time wrote; "Hoopsick says a conspirator approached her to find a 'gopher' who could be scared into robbing a bank".[56] In the 2018 documentary Evil Genius, Hoopsick identifies the conspirator as Barnes and alleges she recommended Wells, whom she described as "a pushover".[57]

Admitting to setting up Wells in exchange for money and drugs, Hoopsick expressed regret for her role and said Wells had no advance knowledge of the robbery.[56][58] ATF agent Jason Wick stated Hoopsick was uncooperative in 2003 and that authorities "always believed that [she] knew more" about the case; however, Wick also expressed concern Hoopsick might not be a credible witness.[56]

Media attention edit

As the case continued to develop, the investigation garnered national media coverage in America. Less than two years since the September 11 attacks, many at first believed the incident to be terrorism-related.[59] Fox's America's Most Wanted featured the story three times and publicized newly released evidence in hopes officials could obtain new clues in the case.[60]

Due to its novelty and complexity, the story retains a fascination for many people. The January 2011 issue of Wired magazine covered the story.[5] In 2012, investigator Jerry Clark and journalist Ed Palattella published Pizza Bomber: The Untold Story of America's Most Shocking Bank Robbery (ISBN 0425250555), a true-crime book detailing the events.[61] In May 2018, Netflix released Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist, a documentary series about the case.[62]

A collection of news articles that reported developments in the Wells story was analyzed in a scientific study of information novelty.[63]

In fiction edit

The 2011 American comedy film 30 Minutes or Less depicts a pizza delivery man being forced to wear a bomb vest and rob a bank, with the mastermind seeking the money to hire a hitman to kill his father and receive his inheritance. The film's similarity to the Wells case was criticized by Wells' family, but Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group said the cast and crew were not aware of the Wells case and the screenwriters were "vaguely familiar" with it.[64]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The inheritance Diehl-Armstrong reportedly coveted was ultimately denied to her. Her father's estate had once been valued about $1.8 million, but gifts to friends had lowered the value to less than $120,000 at his death in January 2014, at the age of 95.[4] In an interview, Harold Diehl reported he had cut off financial support for his daughter decades earlier due to her criminal behavior and failure to hold a steady job. His last will and testament left $2,000 to Diehl-Armstrong, but the estate's obligation to pay outstanding medical bills before inheritances meant she received nothing.[4]

References edit

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  49. ^ Mandak, Joe; Press, Associated (October 28, 2010). "Defense humanizes collar bomb suspect for jury". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Associated Press.
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  57. ^ "Part 4: The Confessions". Evil Genius: the True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist. Season 1. Episode 4. May 11, 2018. 37 minutes in. NetFlix. from the original on August 25, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  58. ^ "Part 4: The Confessions". Evil Genius: the True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist. Season 1. Episode 4. May 11, 2018. 39 minutes in. NetFlix. from the original on August 25, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
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  64. ^ Peckham, Matt. "'30 Minutes or Less' Comedy Upsets Family of Real-Life 'Pizza Bomber'". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2018.

External links edit

  • "More coverage: The Erie Bomber case". The Plain Dealer. July 11, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2007. (Newspaper articles, audio clips)
  • Silver, Jonathan D. (August 25, 2005). . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
  • . Brianwells.net. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2018. Website created by Brian's brother; contains reproductions of the nine page letter, along with photos of the cane gun and collar bomb.
  • . Malefactor's Register. Archived from the original on March 9, 2007.
  • August 27, 2004, press release from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania FBI website.
  • Brian Wells at Find a Grave

January 01, 1970
death, brian, wells, august, 2003, pizza, delivery, brian, douglas, wells, robbed, bank, near, hometown, erie, pennsylvania, united, states, upon, being, apprehended, police, wells, died, when, explosive, collar, locked, neck, detonated, investigation, into, d. On August 28 2003 pizza delivery man Brian Douglas Wells robbed a PNC Bank near his hometown of Erie Pennsylvania United States Upon being apprehended by police Wells died when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated The FBI investigation into his death uncovered a complex plot described as one of the most complicated and bizarre crimes in the annals of the FBI 1 Brian WellsWells drivers license photoBornBrian Douglas Wells 1956 11 15 November 15 1956 citation needed DiedAugust 28 2003 2003 08 28 aged 46 Erie Pennsylvania U S Cause of deathCollar bomb explosionNationalityAmericanOccupationPizza delivery driver In conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives ATF and the Pennsylvania State Police PSP the FBI investigation led to Marjorie Diehl Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes being charged with the crime in 2007 The investigation determined the plot was masterminded by Diehl Armstrong to receive an inheritance by hiring Barnes with the money from the bank robbery to kill her father William Rothstein and Floyd Stockton were also found to have conspired in the crime but Rothstein died before being charged and Stockton was granted immunity in exchange for testifying against Diehl Armstrong Diehl Armstrong was sentenced in 2011 to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and Barnes received a reduced sentence of 22 years in exchange for testifying against Diehl Armstrong both died in prison Wells involvement in the plot is a matter of controversy Investigators concluded Wells was a willing participant in the robbery but was told the bomb was fake Wells family said he was forced to rob the bank by the conspirators Known as the collar bomb case or pizza bomber case the incident gained extensive media coverage including the 2018 Netflix series Evil Genius Contents 1 Biography 2 Conspirators 2 1 Conspirators connection to Wells 2 2 Wells as conspirator 3 The crime 3 1 Collar bomb 3 2 Pizza delivery 3 3 Scavenger hunt 3 4 Robbery 3 5 Arrest and death 4 Aftermath 4 1 Death of Robert Pinetti 4 2 Murder of James Roden 4 3 Diehl Armstrong and Barnes charged 4 4 Diehl Armstrong trial 4 5 Hoopsick confession 5 Media attention 6 In fiction 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 External linksBiography editIn 1973 when Wells was a 16 year old sophomore he dropped out of East High School in Erie Pennsylvania and went to work as a mechanic 2 Conspirators editAt Kenneth Barnes home he Marjorie Diehl Armstrong and William Rothstein discussed ways they could make money Diehl Armstrong suggested Barnes kill her father Harold Diehl so she would receive an inheritance Barnes told her he was willing to do this for US 250 000 equivalent to 414 074 in 2023 3 The collar bomb bank robbery plot was hatched to obtain enough money to pay Barnes to kill Diehl Armstrong s father a In return for a reduced sentence Barnes later told investigators that Diehl Armstrong was the mastermind of the crime and that she wanted the money to pay Barnes to kill her father whom she reportedly believed was squandering her inheritance 5 Diehl Armstrong Barnes and Rothstein all seem to have suffered from compulsive hoarding 6 7 Marjorie Eleanor Diehl Armstrong February 26 1949 April 4 2017 had a history of suffering from multiple mental illnesses including bipolar disorder 6 Before her mental health deteriorated in her twenties Diehl Armstrong was an exemplary student in high school and earned a master s degree from Gannon College 6 8 In 1984 she shot her boyfriend Robert Thomas six times as he lay on the couch but was acquitted on claims of self defense 6 9 Her husband and several other partners also died under suspicious circumstances 10 Diehl Armstrong died from breast cancer in prison at age 68 on April 4 2017 11 6 Kenneth Barnes 1954 June 20 2019 was a retired television repairman crack dealer and Diehl Armstrong s fishing buddy He suffered from diabetes and died in prison on June 20 2019 at the age of 64 65 12 William Ansel Rothstein January 17 1944 July 30 2004 dated Diehl Armstrong in the late 1960s and early 1970s He was implicated in a 1977 murder after he gave a handgun to a friend who used it to murder a romantic rival he later attempted to destroy the weapon but was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony 13 Rothstein was a handyman and part time shop teacher and was part of a group called the fractured intellectuals intelligent people who were not well adjusted 14 Rothstein was admitted to the Millcreek Community Hospital on July 23 2004 having previously been diagnosed with non Hodgkin s lymphoma showing diffuse large cell type myeloproliferative lymphoma and died on July 30 that year at the age of 60 15 5 Rothstein was the putative creator of the collar bomb Floyd Arthur Jay Stockton Jr 1947 August 10 2022 was a convicted rapist of a disabled teenager 16 Stockton lived as a fugitive at Rothstein s house He was granted immunity for his testimony against Diehl Armstrong but was never called to testify in court due to illness 1 Stockton died of acute respiratory failure in Bellingham Washington at the age of 74 75 His death was ruled accidental 17 Conspirators connection to Wells edit Immediately after his death investigators searched Wells house and found a list of people he knew including two prostitutes unknown to other members of his family One of the prostitutes he frequented Jessica Hoopsick knew Kenneth Barnes who dealt crack and whose house was used by prostitutes 18 19 Wells as conspirator edit According to law enforcement reports Wells participated in the planning of the bank robbery the day before and was aware of the complex plot he believed the bomb would be fake but would serve as exculpatory evidence if he was caught 20 21 According to an FBI affidavit two witnesses confirmed that Wells talked about the robbery about a month before it occurred 1 Wells was seen leaving Rothstein s house the day before the incident and investigators believe he participated in a rehearsal It was believed Wells was killed to reduce the number of witnesses 19 Wells family and friends 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 22 Jessica Hoopsick a woman who was Wells friend confessed on the Netflix documentary Evil Genius that she set Wells up to participate in the crime by providing his name and delivery schedule to one of the conspirators in exchange for money and drugs 2 23 She said he had no knowledge of the robbery The crime editCollar bomb edit nbsp Triple banded metal collar that was locked around Wells s neck and which ultimately killed him 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 housing containing 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 5 Pizza delivery edit For 10 years Wells worked as a pizza delivery driver at the Mama Mia s Pizzeria in Erie until his death 24 25 Just after 1 30 p m on August 28 2003 the pizzeria received a call from a payphone at a nearby gas station The owner could not understand the customer and passed the phone to Wells who received a call to deliver two pizzas to 8631 Peach Street an address a few miles from the pizzeria The address was the location of the transmitting tower of WSEE TV at the end of a dirt road 26 According to law enforcement upon arriving at the television tower Wells found the plot had changed and learned the bomb was real Wells family disputes this account of the events at the television tower according to them Wells was accosted at gunpoint by strangers and forced to participate 22 The details of events at the tower that led to the bomb being attached to Wells neck have never been firmly established but evidence suggests there was a struggle and that Barnes Diehl Armstrong Rothstein and Stockton were all present at that time 27 In interviews by law enforcement Stockton claimed to be the one to put the bomb around Wells neck When Wells discovered that the bomb was real Barnes said a pistol was fired in order to force Wells compliance and witnesses confirmed hearing a gunshot 28 After the bomb was applied Wells was given a sophisticated home made shotgun which had the appearance of an unusually shaped cane 29 30 Wells was instructed to claim that three black men had forced the bomb on him and were holding him as a hostage 31 Scavenger hunt edit Inside Wells car police found nine pages of handwritten instructions addressed to Bomb Hostage directing him to rob the bank The instructions also included a scavenger hunt listing a series of strictly timed tasks of collecting keys that would delay detonation and eventually defuse the bomb The pages warned that Wells would be under constant surveillance and any attempts to contact authorities would result in the bomb s detonation ACT NOW THINK LATER OR YOU WILL DIE was scrawled at the bottom of the instructions 5 Robbery edit Wells was instructed to quietly enter the PNC Bank at Summit Towne Center on Peach Street and give the teller an affixed note demanding 250 000 and to use his shotgun to threaten anyone who did not cooperate or attempted to flee Upon entering the bank around 2 30 p m Wells slid the note to a teller 32 The note stated the bomb would explode in fifteen minutes and that the full amount must be handed over within that time The teller was unable to access the vault that quickly and gave Wells a bag containing 8 702 with which he exited the bank 32 33 At 2 38 a witness called 9 1 1 from the bank and reported a male leaving the bank with a bomb or something wrapped around his neck This is the first known emergency call for the incident 34 According to witnesses at the bank and surveillance footage after entering the bank Wells waited in line When he reached the counter he began sucking a lollipop He appeared confident as he left the bank swinging his cane gun and the bag of money like Charlie Chaplin according to one witness 35 Arrest and death edit nbsp A map showing key locations of the case Around fifteen minutes after Wells left the bank he had completed the first task of the scavenger hunt He was proceeding with the second task when police saw him standing outside his automobile and promptly arrested him handcuffed him and left him sitting on the ground in the parking lot Wells said three unnamed black people had placed a bomb around his neck provided him with the shotgun and told him they would kill him unless he committed the robbery and completed several other tasks 5 The responding police officers did not attempt to disarm the device instead focusing on clearing the immediate area of pedestrians and ensuring Wells could not detonate the device 34 The bomb squad was first called at 3 04 p m at least thirty minutes after the first 9 1 1 call from the bank and about ten minutes after Wells was arrested At 3 18 three minutes before the bomb squad arrived the bomb detonated and blasted a fist sized hole in Wells s chest killing him in seconds 5 36 Traffic congestion in the area delayed the bomb squad s arrival but personnel from the ATF still considered their response appropriately quick 34 Aftermath editWJET TV Erie s ABC affiliate broadcast the event live on the air but did not show the moment of the detonation due to a technical problem 37 The station provided the footage to FBI investigators ABC s head office and sister station WKBW TV in Buffalo New York The footage was subsequently leaked to a shock jock on DC101 a radio station in Washington D C who posted it on his website in September 2003 Although he subsequently removed the video at WJET s request by then it had been posted to numerous video sharing websites 38 Though the note claimed Wells would gain extra time by each key found police later traveled the note s route and could not complete it in the allotted time implying Wells would not have had enough time to get the bomb defused 19 The collar of the bomb was still intact so authorities were forced to sever Wells head from his body so the bomb could be retained and investigated 23 Death of Robert Pinetti edit The case also involved two further deaths linked to the conspirators On August 31 2003 Wells s coworker at the pizza store and its only other delivery driver Robert Thomas Pinetti was found dead in his home after suffering a drug overdose 39 Murder of James Roden edit On September 20 2003 Rothstein who lived near the television tower called police to inform them the body of a man James Roden was hidden in a freezer in a garage at his house After he telephoned police Rothstein wrote a suicide note indicating his planned death had nothing to do with Wells 10 Investigators do not believe Rothstein ever attempted suicide 40 Roden had been living with Diehl Armstrong for 10 years In custody Rothstein claimed Diehl Armstrong had murdered her then boyfriend Roden with a 12 gauge shotgun during a dispute over money Rothstein said she subsequently paid him 2 000 to help hide the body and clean the crime scene at her house 13 In January 2005 Diehl Armstrong pleaded guilty but mentally ill to third degree murder and abuse of a corpse for killing Roden and was sentenced to between seven and twenty years in prison She is believed to have killed Roden to prevent him from informing authorities about the robbery plot 41 Diehl Armstrong and Barnes charged edit In April 2005 Diehl Armstrong told a state trooper she had information about the Wells case and after meeting with FBI agents said she would tell them everything she knew if she was transferred from the Muncy Correctional Institution to a minimum security prison in Cambridge Springs During a series of interviews Diehl Armstrong admitted to providing the kitchen timers used for the bomb stated Rothstein masterminded the plot and that Wells had been directly involved in the plan 42 In late 2005 Barnes who was in jail on unrelated drug charges was turned in by his brother in law after revealing details of the crime to him On September 3 2008 Barnes pleaded guilty to conspiring to rob a bank and to aiding and abetting 28 43 On December 3 that year he was sentenced to 45 years in prison by a federal judge in Erie for his role in the crime 44 Barnes s sentence was later reduced to 22 5 years after he testified against Diehl Armstrong 45 In July 2007 U S Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced Diehl Armstrong and Barnes had been charged with the crime with Diehl Armstrong as the mastermind The deceased Rothstein and Wells were named as un indicted co conspirators 20 Buchanan stated Wells had been involved in the plot from the beginning but that his co conspirators fitted him with a real bomb that would have exploded even if it were removed 21 46 Diehl Armstrong trial edit On July 29 2008 U S District Court Judge Sean J McLaughlin made an initial finding that Diehl Armstrong was mentally incompetent to stand trial due to a number of mental disorders indicating this ruling would be reviewed after she had received a period of treatment in a mental hospital 47 Diehl Armstrong was then transferred for treatment to a federal mental health facility in Texas On February 24 2009 Judge McLaughlin scheduled a hearing for March 11 2010 to determine whether Diehl Armstrong was now competent to stand trial 48 On September 9 the judge determined she was now competent In October 2010 Diehl Armstrong took the stand to testify on her own behalf as part of her defense 49 She asked for a change of venue arguing extensive media coverage of the case prevented her from receiving a fair trial in Erie Judge McLaughlin denied this request noting while the allegations were unusual the news coverage as a whole has been about as factual and objective as it could be under the circumstances 50 On November 1 2010 Diehl Armstrong was convicted of armed bank robbery conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery and of using a destructive device in a crime 51 On February 28 2011 she was sentenced to life in prison to be served consecutively with the prison term imposed in 2005 for killing Roden 52 In November 2012 the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed her conviction 53 In January 2013 the U S Supreme Court denied her petition for certiorari declining to hear her case 53 54 In December 2015 Diehl Armstrong lost a second appeal of her conviction 55 Hoopsick confession edit In 2018 Jessica Hoopsick admitted to her involvement in the plot Melissa Chan of Time wrote Hoopsick says a conspirator approached her to find a gopher who could be scared into robbing a bank 56 In the 2018 documentary Evil Genius Hoopsick identifies the conspirator as Barnes and alleges she recommended Wells whom she described as a pushover 57 Admitting to setting up Wells in exchange for money and drugs Hoopsick expressed regret for her role and said Wells had no advance knowledge of the robbery 56 58 ATF agent Jason Wick stated Hoopsick was uncooperative in 2003 and that authorities always believed that she knew more about the case however Wick also expressed concern Hoopsick might not be a credible witness 56 Media attention editAs the case continued to develop the investigation garnered national media coverage in America Less than two years since the September 11 attacks many at first believed the incident to be terrorism related 59 Fox s America s Most Wanted featured the story three times and publicized newly released evidence in hopes officials could obtain new clues in the case 60 Due to its novelty and complexity the story retains a fascination for many people The January 2011 issue of Wired magazine covered the story 5 In 2012 investigator Jerry Clark and journalist Ed Palattella published Pizza Bomber The Untold Story of America s Most Shocking Bank Robbery ISBN 0425250555 a true crime book detailing the events 61 In May 2018 Netflix released Evil Genius The True Story of America s Most Diabolical Bank Heist a documentary series about the case 62 A collection of news articles that reported developments in the Wells story was analyzed in a scientific study of information novelty 63 In fiction editThe 2011 American comedy film 30 Minutes or Less depicts a pizza delivery man being forced to wear a bomb vest and rob a bank with the mastermind seeking the money to hire a hitman to kill his father and receive his inheritance The film s similarity to the Wells case was criticized by Wells family but Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group said the cast and crew were not aware of the Wells case and the screenwriters were vaguely familiar with it 64 See also edit nbsp Pennsylvania portal List of unusual deaths 1973 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce bank robbery in which a bank robber was killed due to an explosive device Mosman bomb hoax a 2011 extortion attempt using a fake collar bombNotes edit The inheritance Diehl Armstrong reportedly coveted was ultimately denied to her Her father s estate had once been valued about 1 8 million but gifts to friends had lowered the value to less than 120 000 at his death in January 2014 at the age of 95 4 In an interview Harold Diehl reported he had cut off financial support for his daughter decades earlier due to her criminal behavior and failure to hold a steady job His last will and testament left 2 000 to Diehl Armstrong but the estate s obligation to pay outstanding medical bills before inheritances meant she received nothing 4 References edit a b c Griffin Drew Fitzpatrick David August 8 2011 New details revealed in pizza collar bomb heist Archived from the original on May 14 2018 Retrieved May 13 2018 a b Dao James September 5 2003 A Childlike Pizza Deliveryman at the Center of a Puzzling Crime The New York Times Archived from the original on December 27 2017 Retrieved January 4 2020 Collar Bomb Case Charges in Bizarre 03 Bank Heist Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI website July 11 2007 Archived from the original on May 10 2019 Retrieved April 24 2019 a b Woman in pizza bomber case to get nothing from father TribLIVE com Archived from the original on July 30 2017 Retrieved November 3 2017 a b c d e f g Shapiro Rich The Incredible True Story of the Collar Bomb Heist Wired Archived from the original on April 19 2017 Retrieved November 3 2017 a b c d e Erie s Diehl Armstrong recalled as unique and deadly criminal goerie com Erie Times News April 4 2017 Archived from the original on April 5 2017 Retrieved April 5 2017 Clark Jerry Palattella Ed 2017 Mania and Marjorie Diehl Armstrong Inside the Mind of a Female Serial Killer Rowman amp Littlefield pp 1 11 ISBN 9781442260085 Laythe Joseph W 2011 Engendered Death Pennsylvania Women who Kill Lexington Books pp 161 162 ISBN 9781611460926 Palattella Ed Erie s Diehl Armstrong recalled as unique and deadly criminal GoErie com Archived from the original on June 26 2019 Retrieved January 4 2020 a b Rivera Geraldo March 25 2015 Pizza Man Bombing Remains Odd Mystery Fox News Archived from the original on December 18 2018 Retrieved December 18 2018 Cleary Tom May 28 2018 Marjorie Diehl Armstrong Cause of Death How Did She Die Archived from the original on August 3 2018 Retrieved October 1 2018 Ed Palattella June 25 2019 Erie pizza bomber co plotter Ken Barnes dies in prison Erie Times News via The Bradford Era a b Rischer Jim 2008 Pizza Bombing Archived from the original on December 1 2020 Clark amp Palattella 2012 p 114 Unraveling The Mysteries Of The Pizza Bomber www wbur org January 15 2011 Archived from the original on November 6 2018 Retrieved January 4 2020 Man with Pizza Bomber connections dies in WA state WKBN com January 12 2023 Retrieved February 7 2023 Another chapter in the Erie pizza bomber case ends as Floyd Stockton dies with immunity GoErie Retrieved February 7 2023 Part 3 The Suspects Evil Genius the True Story of America s Most Diabolical Bank Heist Season 1 Episode 3 May 11 2018 30 minutes in NetFlix Archived from the original on August 25 2018 Retrieved October 3 2018 a b c Caniglia John July 11 2007 Erie Bomb Victim was the Dupe in a Greedy Plan The Plain Dealer Archived from the original on August 29 2011 Retrieved August 16 2011 a b Pizza Deliveryman Who Robbed Bank Had Neck Measured for Bomb Collar Fox News Associated Press July 19 2007 Archived from the original on June 20 2019 Retrieved June 20 2019 a b Caniglia John Erie bomb victim was the dupe in a greedy plan Archived from the original on August 29 2011 Retrieved November 3 2017 a b CNN Live Event Special Special Report The Pizza Bomber CNN October 12 2012 Archived from the original on February 12 2019 Retrieved July 5 2023 a b Glove Candice M July 31 2011 Bizarre story of pizza delivery man blown up by collar bomb still an enigma eight years later New York Post Archived from the original on February 1 2017 Retrieved July 5 2023 Hawkes Rebecca May 11 2018 Who was the Pizza Bomber The gruesome story behind Netflix s new crime sensation The Telegraph Archived from the original on April 17 2019 Retrieved April 17 2019 Hamill Sean D July 11 2007 Indictments Said to Be Near in 03 Robbery Bomb Death The New York Times Archived from the original on April 17 2019 Retrieved April 17 2019 Bank Robber May Not Be Perpetrator WSEE News August 29 2005 Archived from the original on August 29 2005 Retrieved August 16 2011 Martin Jim December 3 2008 Barnes gets 45 years Goerie com Archived from the original on January 10 2016 Retrieved February 11 2019 a b Collar Bomb Bank Robber Gets 45 Years Archived from the original on November 7 2017 Retrieved November 3 2017 Mandak Joe October 13 2010 Pa collar bomb trial jury selection begins Associated Press News Archived from the original on April 16 2019 Retrieved April 16 2019 Collar Bomb Probe Gets Weirder Archived from the original on December 1 2017 Retrieved November 23 2017 Caniglia John July 12 2007 Double crossed Erie pizza bomber Brian Wells was both victim and conspirator The Plain Dealer p 3 Archived from the original on August 22 2007 Retrieved July 15 2007 a b Jury Convicts Woman in Collar Bomb Robbery Archived from the original on March 31 2019 Retrieved February 19 2019 Nephin Dan July 11 2007 Indictment Bomb victim in on bank plot USA Today Associated Press Retrieved August 16 2011 a b c Officials say chaos delayed call to bomb squad after robbery old post gazette com Archived from the original on May 3 2019 Retrieved May 3 2019 Pizza Bomber Excerpt February 9 2016 Archived from the original on March 31 2019 Retrieved January 4 2020 Case 81 Brian Wells Casefile True Crime Podcast Casefile True Crime Podcast April 14 2018 Archived from the original on April 15 2018 Retrieved April 15 2018 STUCK LEANNE August 28 2015 12th Anniversary of Erie Pizza Bomber Case Archived from the original on December 1 2017 Retrieved November 23 2017 Thomas Lillian September 27 2003 News media may withhold gruesome images but Internet sets them free Pittsburgh Post Gazette Archived from the original on May 9 2019 Retrieved May 9 2019 Co worker of man killed in Erie bank robbery blast dies at home old post gazette com Archived from the original on October 31 2018 Retrieved December 18 2018 Evil Genius the True Story of America s Most Diabolical Bank Heist Netflix Archived from the original on November 24 2018 Retrieved December 18 2018 USA vs Marjorie Diehl Armstrong PDF United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit September 25 2012 Archived from the original PDF on February 18 2017 Pizza collar bomb case solved official says Archived from the original on September 30 2017 Retrieved November 3 2017 Pennsylvania Pizza Bomber Co Defendant Pleads Guilty in Bizarre Bank Heist Plot Fox News September 2 2008 Archived from the original on September 7 2008 Retrieved September 2 2008 Collar Bomb Bank Robber Gets 45 Years CBS AP December 3 2008 Archived from the original on November 4 2012 Retrieved August 16 2011 Admitted bank robber has sentence cut for his testimony Reuters June 7 2011 Retrieved May 10 2022 Indictment Bomb victim in on bank plot usatoday30 usatoday com Archived from the original on June 26 2019 Retrieved November 23 2017 Diehl Armstrong Mentally Incompetent W I C U 12 July 29 2008 Archived from the original on December 6 2008 Retrieved August 29 2008 Diehl Armstrong Hearing Scheduled YourErie com permanent dead link Mandak Joe Press Associated October 28 2010 Defense humanizes collar bomb suspect for jury The San Diego Union Tribune Associated Press U S v Diehl Armstrong Leagle Archived from the original on July 30 2017 Retrieved July 29 2017 Diehl Armstrong faces life sentence GoErie com Archived from the original on June 26 2019 Retrieved January 7 2020 Pizza Bomb Update Marjorie Diehl Armstrong sentenced to life for bizarre Pa collar bomb killing CBS AP March 2 2011 Archived from the original on March 6 2011 Retrieved August 16 2011 a b Pizza bomber robbery appeal rejected CNN January 15 2013 Archived from the original on January 10 2016 Retrieved January 17 2013 Diehl Armstrong v U S Supreme Court of the United States Archived from the original on October 12 2019 Retrieved January 17 2013 Diehl Armstrong comes up short in 2nd appeal goerie com Erie Times News December 29 2015 Archived from the original on September 19 2016 Retrieved September 11 2016 a b c Chan Melissa May 12 2018 Netflix s Evil Genius Ends With a Stunning Confession Here s What Could Happen Next in the Collar Bomb Case Archived from the original on May 13 2018 Retrieved May 13 2018 Part 4 The Confessions Evil Genius the True Story of America s Most Diabolical Bank Heist Season 1 Episode 4 May 11 2018 37 minutes in NetFlix Archived from the original on August 25 2018 Retrieved October 3 2018 Part 4 The Confessions Evil Genius the True Story of America s Most Diabolical Bank Heist Season 1 Episode 4 May 11 2018 39 minutes in NetFlix Archived from the original on August 25 2018 Retrieved October 3 2018 Johnson Kevin September 17 2003 Was pizza deliverer a robber or a victim Usatoday Com Archived from the original on December 4 2008 Retrieved October 18 2009 The Erie Collar Bomber America s Most Wanted Archived from the original on June 19 2009 Retrieved September 5 2006 Clark Jerry Palattella Ed 2012 Pizza bomber the untold story of America s most shocking bank robbery Berkley premium ed New York Berkley Books ISBN 9780425250556 Greene Steve April 30 2018 Evil Genius Trailer Netflix and Duplass Brothers Pizza Bomber Series IndieWire Penske Business Media Archived from the original on May 10 2018 Retrieved May 10 2018 Newsjunkie Providing Personalized Newsfeeds via Analysis of Information Novelty PDF Microsoft Research Archived PDF from the original on September 24 2006 Retrieved September 5 2006 PDF see Figure 5 in Section 5 2 of the paper Peckham Matt 30 Minutes or Less Comedy Upsets Family of Real Life Pizza Bomber Time ISSN 0040 781X Archived from the original on June 22 2018 Retrieved June 21 2018 External links editThe 30 Strangest Deaths in History More coverage The Erie Bomber case The Plain Dealer July 11 2007 Retrieved July 11 2007 Newspaper articles audio clips Silver Jonathan D August 25 2005 Killing of pizza deliveryman with necklace bomb still unsolved Pittsburgh Post Gazette Archived from the original on June 22 2011 Retrieved July 10 2007 Brian Wells Brianwells net Archived from the original on July 22 2011 Retrieved December 18 2018 Website created by Brian s brother contains reproductions of the nine page letter along with photos of the cane gun and collar bomb Brian Wells Malefactor s Register Archived from the original on March 9 2007 Collarbomber FBI Profile August 27 2004 press release from the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania FBI website Brian Wells at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Death of Brian Wells amp oldid 1223740998, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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