Something that shocked many viewers of Evil Genius wasBorzillieris relationship with Diehl-Armstrong. When he entered PNC Bank and demanded $250,000, he was calm, even grabbing a lollipop before leaving with less than $9,000 in cash. In fact,Borzillieri said that he was the last phone call Diehl-Armstrong made before she died. "Either way, Mr Wells died a horrific death that we'll never forget him for, but the fact that he might not have had knowledge is not really related to the evidence gained.". Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital [27] 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. Not sure, someone in the comments claimed they knew her and were there for the arrest. Could Wells really have been a victim of the same bank robbery he helped carry out? "The thing that's accurate that she does say that I fully agree with as the investigator is that she introduced [Brian Wells] to these people. [53] 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. Upon being apprehended by police, Wells was murdered when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated. If the answer is "no," then what are you waiting for? "My client had ingested quite a bit of crack cocaine.". Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist, Press J to jump to the feed. Thomas also told police she placed her head on the couch so a portion of her body would be on Butler's head. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib. He got the 45-year sentence in December 2008, but after his testimony and Diehl-Armstrong's conviction, a judge halved the sentence in 2011. I definitely want justice for Brians memory. [5], Diehl-Armstrong, Barnes, and Rothstein seem to have had issues with compulsive hoarding. The fact that shes saying it, you got to wonder why.. McLaughlin resigned his seat on the bench on Aug. 16, 2013, to become executive vice president and general counsel at Erie Insurance Group, where he continues to work. He had worked for 10 years at Mamma Mia's Pizza-Ria in Erie and was a Pennsylvania native, not a criminal mastermind. 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 attempted to remove it. After dropping out of high school in 1973 when he was 16 (later getting his GED), Wells got a job at Mama Mia Pizzeria in Erie, PA. Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango. As a U.S. district judge, he presided over the pizza bomber case, including Diehl-Armstrong's trial in 2010 at the federal courthouse in Erie. Apparently it was for failure to appear for a prostitution charge. I cant imagine if she was charged in a murder case they would let her sit on the ground . [5][37] Traffic congestion in the area delayed the bomb squad's arrival but personnel from the ATF still considered their response appropriately quick. They had long suspected her involvement but didnt have enough evidence to build a case against her. Butler's death was ruled a homicide "caused by respiratory insufficiency secondary to blunt force trauma to the neck and thoracic compression, exacerbated by blunt force trauma to the head," according to the affidavit. Lightner said Hoopsick gave a statement to police and would have been subpoenaed to testify if Thomas took her case to trial. The case remained a mystery until Diehl-Armstrong and her fishing buddy, Kenneth Barnes, were indicted in 2007 on charges they concocted the plot along with her ex-boyfriend, William Rothstein. [2][23], 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. EXCLUSIVE. Her next court date is Oct. 68years (19492017) Erie police charged that Thomas killed Butler during an attack at the couple's apartment at 1019 East Ave. Thomas told investigators that she cut Butler in the hand with a folding knife and struck him in the head with a table leg during a struggle. "Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father" (2008): This heartbreaking film focuses on an unbelievable custody battle between a murdered man's parents and the ex-girlfriend who took their son's life, while pregnant with their grandchild. William Ansel "Bill" Rothstein (January 17, 1944 July 30, 2004) dated Diehl-Armstrong in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She said, I have a lot of remorse for a lot of the stuff I did and a lot of shame and guilt. The Erie office is under the U.S. Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh, where the new U.S. attorney is Scott Brady. I definitely want justice for Brians memory. Upon Harold Wells death due to multiple sclerosis when he was only 60 years old, his wife was left to raise their five children. Jessica Hoopsick-possible co-conspirator, prostitute, addict In 2003, Erie Pennsylvania, a 46-year old man robbed a PNC bank. 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.Death of Brian Wells. It seemed like this person had information. Throughout the documentary series, it is alleged that Diehl-Armstrongs had a variety of mental health disorders and sought help numerous times. regardless- how is she not charged with anything in relation to the wells case, based on her interview testimony? portugal women's league results; coaching youth lacrosse; jessica hoopsick child with brian wells. 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. But Hoopsicks statements in Evil Genius contradicted other evidence in the case, and Hoopsick failed to make the same claims when she testified in a 2010 federal trial, former FBI investigators in the case told the Erie Times-News after the documentary aired. Watch the trailer to get an idea of what all the hype is about. She told me that she had just been in that recent four-part Netflix documentary, Evil Genius, Swank reported. [11] Investigators do not believe Rothstein ever attempted suicide. We do hope that the documentary spawns questions about mental health and that the light that is shining on Marjorie now can we use that light to reflect where we are today with mental health? said Borzillieri. [22][47], 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. Would someone who was aware of the heist act in this manner? [58] In the 2018 documentary Evil Genius, Hoopsick identifies the conspirator as Barnes and alleges she recommended Wells, whom she described as "a pushover". The January 2011 issue of Wired magazine covered the story. The creators of Evil Genius say they hope their documentary helps bring some closure to Wells family and ramp up enough public interest in the case to gain access to sealed grand jury documents that provide more answers on the collar bomb case. While Netflixs Evil Genius ends with unanswered questions, directors Barbara Schroeder and Trey Borzillieri have clear thoughts on who they think was behind the big heist, and who wasnt. "The Race to Nowhere" (2010): Remember what it was like to be a kid without any responsibilities? "The Central Park Five" (2012): Documentarian Ken Burns examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park, and spent between six and 13 years in prison before a serial rapist confessed. 739 F.Supp.2d 786, "Diehl-Armstrong comes up short in 2nd appeal", Netflix's Evil Genius Ends With a Stunning Confession. And says Bill Rothstein was the true mastermind. Clark is also adamant that Wells agreed to take part in the robbery, before later trying to back out. The infamous pizza bomber narrative is as explosive as it soundsalthough filled with more twists and turns than actual pizza. Jessica Hoopsick, a prostitute whom Brian Wells frequented, became a key witness for the FBI in unraveling the pizza bomber case. 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. Wells was identified by investigators as an unindicted co-conspirator, although his family maintains he was a hostage. Swank reported that he texted the number listed and a woman agreed to meet him in the parking lot near the Hampton Inn on Town Square Drive. All Marriage & Divorce results for Hoopsick. They just want Brian Wells to be a co conspirator. Now, Wick and his partner Jerry Clark, who was the lead FBI investigator on the collar bomb case, believe Hoopsick may have said too much for her own good. Brian Douglas Wells She claimed she recommended Wells to Barnes for the heist in exchange for drug money, but expressed regret and said Wells had no prior knowledge of the robbery. New Details About The Man In 'Evil Genius' On Netflix. "How to Survive a Plague" (2012): This Oscar-nominated documentary will make your blood boil when you see how the American government and members of the medical community turned their backs on homosexuals and HIV patients during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. A still from "Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist" on Netflix, The Real Family That Inspired 'Little Women', How We Can Learn to Live with COVID-19 After Vaccinations. If shes not telling the truth, then I dont know who is.. The only defendant who went to trial in the case. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set. Evil Genius on Netflix has become our latest obsession. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong/Age at death. The defense noted that Wells only took $8,701 from the bank. Magazines, Digital Massage Beds & Heat Mats. The Bizarre Real-Life Story of the Pizza Guy Who Robbed a Bank with a Bomb Around His Neck. Has nothing to do with this case. Saw it on Facebook. [51] She asked for a change of venue, arguing extensive media coverage of the case prevented her from receiving a fair trial in Erie. Plus, if Wells was voluntarily enlisted, the risk was increased as he may have shared the plot info with friends like Rob Pinetti. She testified at Diehl-Armstrong's trial. In the documentary, Hoopsick claimed that she was a favorite prostitute for Wells and that she set him up at the request of the organizers of the robbery plot. It is known as the collar bomb or pizza bomber case. She has been troubled since she was very young and has been charged multiple times in different counties with prostitution and retail theft. 5/27/2018 1:00 AM PT. Also isnt it almost even sadder for Brian his kid losing his mother? [33] The note stated the bomb would explode in fifteen minutes and that the full amount must be handed over within that time. The four-part true crime documentary series followed the Pizza Bomber case, which saw pizza delivery driver Brian Wells rob PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania whilst wearing a collar bomb which exploded and killed him following his swift capture by police. Is 30 minutes or less based on a true story? "Quite honestly if you look at co-defendants, witnesses and everyone else we talked to related to having any information in the case, there is nothing in Jessica's statement that appears to be accurate," he told TMZ. 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. Here is where some of them are now, including some who are in the grave. was scrawled at the bottom of the instructions. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Marvin claims Diehl-Armstrong was a Quaker like he is. Or, was he forced to take part in the robbery against his will? She was arrested for driving without a license. When he reached the counter, he began sucking a lollipop. He suffered from diabetes and died in prison on June 20, 2019, at the age of 6465.[13]. On the other hand, neighbors described Wells as almost child-like; could his mental state be an explanation for his behavior? 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