Here is where some of them are now, including some who are in the grave. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. The 46-year-old from Erie, Pennsylvania, was a pizza delivery man who got involved in a bank robbery that included a scavenger hunt and a homemade bomb strapped around his neck. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules. He was 60. [59] Admitting to setting up Wells in exchange for money and drugs,[58] Hoopsick expressed regret for her role and said Wells had no advance knowledge of the robbery. Has nothing to do with this case. Swank said that he told Hoopsick that her name sounded familiar and asked if she had ever been arrested in Greensburg. By Samantha Maffucci Written on May 18, 2018. Barnes was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, and Diehl-Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison, where she died in 2017. [15] 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. During the interview, Clark also suggested his theory that it was Bill Rothstein who was the true mastermind of the PNC bank heist. Hoopsick was never charged in the pizza bomber case. Jessica Hoopsick, a sex worker listed in Wells' address book, and the mutual friend that introduced Wells to Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Bill Rothstein ended up leading agents to their prime . The infamous pizza bomber narrative is as explosive as it soundsalthough filled with more twists and turns than actual pizza. However, FBI lead agent Jerry Clark who also appeared regularly in the series has since contradicted Jessica's confession, sharing his belief that it is 'not accurate' and that Wells did know about the heist in advance. Warning: This post contains spoilers for Evil Genius: The True Story of Americas Most Diabolical Bank Heist on Netflix. And there were times when she showed her soft side.. After he telephoned police, Rothstein wrote a suicide note indicating his planned death had nothing to do with Wells. A kind of conclusion was offered at the end of the series when Jessica Hoopsick a prostitute who had regular contact with both Brian Wells and Ken Barnes confessed that she had introduced Wells to conspirators Barnes, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Bill Rothstein and Floyd Stockton in exchange for cash payment. [63] In May 2018, Netflix released Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist, a documentary series about the case. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong/Living or Deceased. 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. She worked out of Ken Barnes' crack house, and the relationship between her and Barnes provided investigators the critical link between Wells, Barnes and Diehl-Armstrong. 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. [46], 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. Investigators concluded Wells was a willing participant in the robbery, but was told the bomb was fake. However, the teller explained that she couldn't gather that much money in so little time and only gave him $8,702. Like many in the beginning, I felt he was a part of this, but because I got in early and stayed with it the length of time I did, my opinion was able to evolve. 8 How did Brian Wells the pizza bomber die? Do you need a ground wire for a dishwasher? The pages warned that Wells would be under constant surveillance and any attempts to contact authorities would result in the bomb's detonation. 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. "The difficulty we have is the fact that [Brian Wells] may not have known what was happening relating to the bank robbery itself, and that's where we differ with some of the evidence that we've had. rams defensive scheme . Barnes, 64, who suffers from severe diabetes, is incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center at Butner, North Carolina, near Raleigh. New Details About The Man In 'Evil Genius' On Netflix. ERIE TIMES-NEWS/FBI 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. RELATED:Who Is Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong? Or, was he forced to take part in the robbery against his will? Wells would have been expecting payment had he lived, a rando would have been an ultimate victim and could have just dropped the money. I'm very sorry," Thomas said in court. [58][60] 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. She worked out of Ken Barnes' crack house, and the. Saw it on Facebook. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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. And says Bill Rothstein was the true mastermind. [54] In November 2012, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed her conviction. Tovbbi informcirt s a belltsi lehetsgek kezelshez kattintson a Belltsok kezelse gombra. Related: Evil Genius on Netflix explained all the HUGE questions we're left with. Less than two years since the September 11 attacks, many at first believed the incident to be terrorism-related. According to neighbors and friends, Wells was described as hardworking and reliable. [42], 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. You had four conspirators who got out ahead of it, because the case went cold for two years and they were infusing information about the case to their benefit, trying to avoid the death penalty. Getting her to tell us at the time was a whole other issue. [65], 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 plot subsequently uncovered has been described as "one of the most complicated and bizarre crimes" in the history of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).[1]. When he was arrested after robbing the bank, the bomb went off and killed Wells. This is the first-known emergency call for the incident. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital He has co-written two books about the pizza bomber case and frequently speaks about it. He had worked for 10 years at Mamma Mia's Pizza-Ria in Erie and was a Pennsylvania native, not a criminal mastermind. The fact that shes saying it, you got to wonder why.. [14] 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. [62], Due to its novelty and complexity, the story retains a fascination for many people. [5], Diehl-Armstrong, Barnes, and Rothstein seem to have had issues with compulsive hoarding. The FBI did not return requests for comment, and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania declined to discuss the documentarys findings. Throughout the documentary series, it is alleged that Diehl-Armstrongs had a variety of mental health disorders and sought help numerous times. There is evidence that directly conflicts with what shes saying, Clark said. [35], 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. The 38-year-old Erie resident was working as a prostitute when she met Brian Wells, the victim in the pizza bomber case. Clark was then asked whether he believed Rothstein was "essentially the mastermind behind the plan". This one might also appeal to fans of HBO's "The Night Of" for its look at how the criminal justice system works and sometimes fails. Barnes is expected to be released in 2027, according to FCI Coleman Low, the federal correctional facility where hes currently incarcerated in Florida. Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Not sure, someone in the comments claimed they knew her and were there for the arrest. Brian Wells was born in Warren, Pennsylvania, to Rose and Harold Wells, the latter of whom was a Korean War veteran. Her next court date is Oct. 68years (19492017) The gruesome story behind Netflix's new crime sensation", "Indictments Said to Be Near in '03 Robbery Bomb Death", "Pa. collar-bomb trial jury selection begins", "Double-crossed: Erie pizza bomber Brian Wells was both victim and conspirator", "Jury Convicts Woman in Collar Bomb Robbery", "Indictment: Bomb victim in on bank plot", "Officials say chaos delayed call to bomb squad after robbery", "Case 81: Brian Wells Casefile: True Crime Podcast", "12th Anniversary of Erie Pizza Bomber Case", "News media may withhold gruesome images, but Internet sets them free", "Co-worker of man killed in Erie bank robbery blast dies at home", "Evil Genius: the True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist", "Pizza collar-bomb case solved, official says", "Pennsylvania 'Pizza Bomber' Co-Defendant Pleads Guilty in Bizarre Bank Heist Plot", "Admitted bank robber has sentence cut for his testimony", "Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong Could Make Court Appearance", Defense humanizes collar bomb suspect for jury, Case No. 739 F.Supp.2d 786, "Diehl-Armstrong comes up short in 2nd appeal", Netflix's Evil Genius Ends With a Stunning Confession. Magazines, Digital The assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted the pizza bomber case remains the lead federal prosecutor in Erie. [29][44] 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. They want to try and make themselves look "good" because they had overlooked so much evidence that could have solved this case years ago but failed to do so. Who was the pizza guy with a bomb around his neck? He was Rothstein's roommate. The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal on season 3, Neighbours announces seven more returning cast. 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. He had no parts in the planning. See additional information. After a three-week trial in federal court in Erie, she was found guilty on Nov. 1, 2010, of the felonies of armed bank robbery, conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery and using a destructive device in a crime of violence. Years since the September 11 attacks, many at first believed the incident to be a substitute for medical. Had a variety of mental health disorders and sought help numerous times,. The first-known emergency call for the arrest was he forced to take part in comments... Whether he believed Rothstein was `` essentially the mastermind behind the plan '' in 'Evil Genius ' on Netflix if... The keyboard shortcuts Rose and Harold Wells, the bomb was fake her and were there the. The Third Circuit affirmed her conviction bomber case [ 54 ] in November 2012, the Story retains fascination... All the HUGE questions we 're left with lead federal prosecutor in.. 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