The only defendant who went to trial in the case. But Wick and Clark are not convinced Hoopsick is a credible enough witness. [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. 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. 7 What was the story of the pizza bomber? Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNpalattella. Another man who had died prior, Bill Rothstein, was also indicted as a conspirator in the crime, along with Wells. . [a] In return for a reduced sentence, Barnes later told investigators Diehl-Armstrong was the mastermind of the crime and that she wanted the money to pay Barnes to kill her father, who she believed was wasting her inheritance. Whilst trying to uncover the mastermind behind the plot and the designer of the bomb which took Wells' life, documentary makers also tried to determine Wells' true involvement in the planned heist. Jessica Hoopsick, a woman who was Wells' friend and sex worker, 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. [24][25] Just after 1:30p.m. on August 28, 2003, the pizzeria received a call from a payphone at a nearby gas station. Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. [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. During the interview, Clark also suggested his theory that it was Bill Rothstein who was the true mastermind of the PNC bank heist. He is an associate professor of criminal justice at Gannon University, where he chairs the criminal justice program. In terms of Brian Wells is his behavior being described correctly? His name was Brian Wells. BRIAN Wells, a 46-year-old pizza delivery driver, strolled into a Pennsylvania bank one afternoon in 2003 before demanding $250,000, written on a note he passed to the teller. Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set. Menu. Apparently it was for failure to appear for a prostitution charge. With a note that demanded $250,000, he had a cane that he swung around like Charlie Chaplin, that was actually a gun, and a collar locked around his neck like a handcuff. Who was the pizza guy with a bomb around his neck? Would someone who was aware of the heist act in this manner? He was a pizza delivery driver and he had a clean criminal record. All Rights Reserved. According to court documents, Hoopsick also told investigators that she was a crack cocaine user and was engaged in prostitution not only to fund her addiction, but also because she needed the money.. Hoopsick is best known for her involvement in the pizza bomber case as the favorite prostitute of Brian Wells, who died when a bomb locked around his neck exploded on Aug. 23, 2003. 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. Hoopsick was never charged in the pizza bomber case. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNoneill. It started as a chance at information and it turned into a real relationship. New Details About The Woman From 'Evil Genius' On Netflix, A post shared by Strange Matters Podcast (@strangematterspodcast), 8 Best True Crime Podcasts For People Who Just Love Being Scared, Meet 'Outer Banks' Star Drew Starkey's Rumored Girlfriend & Learn All About His Past Relationships, 'Outer Banks' Star Madelyn Cline Discusses Life With Her Boyfriend After Split From Co-Star Chase Stokes, Francesca Farago Clarifies Her Relationship Status With Her Boyfriend As She Appears On Netflix's 'Perfect Match', Who Is Bill Rothstein? Getting her to tell us at the time was a whole other issue. [41], Roden had been living with Diehl-Armstrong for 10 years. We're having some trouble displaying this photo at the moment. In custody, Rothstein claimed Diehl-Armstrong had murdered her then-boyfriend Roden with a 12-gauge shotgun during a dispute over money. Here is where some of them are now, including some who are in the grave. Assuming this is real, does anyone else find it eerie (no pun intended) that she's sitting on the ground like Brian was when he was arrested? In 2003, Wells, a 46-year-old pizza delivery driver from Erie, got involved in a bank robbery and had a homemade bomb strapped around his neck. See additional information. Known as the collar bomb case or pizza bomber case, the incident gained extensive media coverage, including the 2018 Netflix series Evil Genius. She believed she could control people and she thought she had people at her beck and call, but when she died, there was no one to claim her body and she was buried in an unmarked grave. "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. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. 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. "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.". Less than two years since the September 11 attacks, many at first believed the incident to be terrorism-related. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong/Living or Deceased. Evil Genius on Netflix has become our latest obsession. When Jessica Hoopsick, a hooker and intimate friend of Wells, was interviewed for Evil Genius, she told Trey Borzillieri, co-producer of the series, she was approached to find a gopher who could be scared into robbing a bank. Digital Spy participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. What we hope were achieving is new truths and new depths within the truths., The big twist at the end, Schroeder said, is just another piece to the puzzle.. 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. 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. 2023byTango Publishing Corporation All Rights Reserved. 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. Swank said that he told Hoopsick that her name sounded familiar and asked if she had ever been arrested in Greensburg. "I have a lot of remorse for a lot of the stuff I did and a lot of shame and guilt," she. Diehl-Armstrong died of breast cancer at 68 on April 4, 2017, while serving her sentence at the Federal Medical Center Carswell, a women's prison near Fort Worth, Texas. He had no parts in the planning. Not sure, someone in the comments claimed they knew her and were there for the arrest. 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. Thanks to the tireless efforts of groups like ACT UP and TAG, the country has made substantial progress on the issue, but remember this battle when society inevitably finds another population to stigmatize and stand up before it's too late. [61] 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. Clark is also adamant that Wells agreed to take part in the robbery, before later trying to back out. At first, Hoopsick didnt want to get involved out of fear. "ACT NOW, THINK LATER OR YOU WILL DIE!" Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. In 1973, when Wells was a 16-year-old sophomore, he dropped out of Erie's East High School and went to work as a mechanic. Brian Wells was born in Warren, Pennsylvania, to Rose and Harold Wells, the latter of whom was a Korean War veteran. [57], In 2018, Jessica Hoopsick admitted to her involvement in the plot. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong masterminded a 2003 robbery plot in Pennsylvania that led to the bombing death of pizza delivery man Brian Wells. Brian Douglas Wells "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. After being offered $5,000, Hoopsick suggests Wells and gives up his work schedule at the pizzeria. Wells would have been expecting payment had he lived, a rando would have been an ultimate victim and could have just dropped the money. 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. The Federal Bureau of Prisons said Diehl-Armstrong died of natural causes at a Texas prison on April 4, 2017. Upon being apprehended by police, Wells was murdered when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated. This was eating her up inside, said Borzillieri, the documentarys co-director and executive producer, who added that Hoopsick was not offered anything in return for her interview. He wasnt out to hurt nobody. Two co-conspirators, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes, were indicted on charges of bank robbery, conspiracy and weapon charges. Please consult your doctor before taking any action. Jessica Hoopsick. "Fed Up" (2014): The tragedy Katie Couric's voiceover presents in this documentary isn't just that both the government and food industry place profit above public health, it's the realization that even those parents who are actually concerned about their children's poor diet have no idea how to eat healthy themselves. So, she admits that and that's still accurate. [49], On February 24, 2009, Judge McLaughlin scheduled a hearing for March 11, 2010, to determine whether Diehl-Armstrong was now competent to stand trial. ", "Both parties were extremely intoxicated," Del Duca said. Thomas also went out to purchase more crack cocaine when she woke up after the assault on Butler, Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Lightner said. RELATED:Who Is Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong? Apparently Jessica Hoopsick is currently getting arrested. The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal on season 3, Neighbours announces seven more returning cast. The address was the location of the transmitting tower of WSEE-TV at the end of a dirt road. But theres always that doubt.. "My client had ingested quite a bit of crack cocaine.". It hurts me that I could do this to somebody who I cared about, says Jessica Hoopsick, who was Wells prostitute and friend. When asked whats next for the directing duo, Schroeder said, We would love to do another deep dive into the characters in here, to reveal new information. digital media solutions memphis, tn; spotlight hour november 2021; what is elizabeth bowen known for; how did jeff shiffrin get a head injury - denmark marriage certificate. Apparently Jessica Hoopsick is currently getting arrested. They screwed up big time. Investigators concluded Wells was a willing participant in the robbery, but was told the bomb was fake. 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. [39], 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. He was scheduled to testify at trial against Diehl-Armstrong but suffered a stroke during the trial, in federal court in Erie, in 2010, and never took the stand. Jessica E. Hoopsick, 39, was arrested in Erie County this week after District Judge Chris Flanigan of Greensburg issued a bench warrant when she failed to appear at a July 26 hearing.. This is the first-known emergency call for the incident. Butler's sister, Sandra Butler, asked Cunningham to impose a longer prison sentence. And says Bill Rothstein was the true mastermind. She was a key character in "Evil Genius," the docuseries on the pizza bomber case, though her contention that Wells had no idea about the pizza bomber plot goes against most of the other evidence in the case. The drug dealer testified against Diehl-Armstrong at trial in exchange for a plea deal that originally netted him a federal prison sentence of 45 years. Barnes told her he was willing to do this for US$250,000 (equivalent to $368,262 in 2021). His death was ruled accidental. Diehl-Armstrong had claimed that Rothstein was the mastermind of the plot and many believe he was the one who actually built the bomb. Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango. [8] 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. Barnes is expected to be released in 2027, according to FCI Coleman Low, the federal correctional facility where hes currently incarcerated in Florida. [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. In October 2010, Diehl-Armstrong took the stand to testify on her own behalf as part of her defense. Thats whats interesting about Marjorie, added Schroeder. [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. And as police surrounded him while he sat cross-legged in a parking lot, he didnt realize the bomb was real until it started beeping, eventually detonating. Whether or not he was involved at any point, he was certainly a victim. Hoopsick was arrested on a prostitution charge in Greensburg in June. The infamous pizza bomber narrative is as explosive as it soundsalthough filled with more twists and turns than actual pizza. She was arrested for driving without a license. Prosecutors claimed Wells was in on the heist but thought the bomb was a decoy. 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. 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. Hoopsick was among a few people that Thomas sought out when she wanted to buy crack cocaine after Butler's death, he said. [23], The case also involved two further deaths linked to the conspirators. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Jessica has several children that have been adopted. [33] The note stated the bomb would explode in fifteen minutes and that the full amount must be handed over within that time. [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. It did so, by her participating in the documentary., He added, The relationship evolved. She kept well-known company: Jessica Hoopsick, infamous for her role in the pizza bomber case, was one of the people Thomas reached out to after her boyfriend's death, the prosecution said.. New Details About The Woman From 'Evil Genius' On Netflix, A post shared by Strange Matters Podcast (@strangematterspodcast) on Apr 15, 2017 at 5:11am PDT. Wells' family said he was not a willing participant in the incident. Fifteen years later and key questions in the case labeled the pizza bomber and collar bomb heist remain the subject of debate, despite a prosecutor-endorsed theory of the crime. Brian never would have done this.. Rothstein died of cancer before the grand jury returned its indictment. 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. Please try again. portugal women's league results; coaching youth lacrosse; jessica hoopsick child with brian wells. Deceased (19492017) 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.[66]. 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. And there were times when she showed her soft side.. In her mind, she had a lot of people paying attention to her but in the end, she was never really loved.. The documentary takes on the mental health system. 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. 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. While co-conspirators claim that Wells was a part of the heist, his actions are confusing. 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. In the final minutes of Evil Genius, a four-part docuseries that examines what it calls Americas most diabolical bank heist, a woman who knew Brian Wells the pizza delivery driver who died in 2003 after robbing a bank in Erie, Pa. while a bomb was fastened around his neck admits to setting Wells up in exchange for money and drugs from the conspirators. Indicted as a chance at information and it turned into a real relationship have done... Twists and turns than actual pizza told the bomb an associate professor of criminal justice at University... 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Incident to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or jessica hoopsick child with brian wells around his neck detonated where. To testify on her own behalf as part of the heist act in manner. Was in on the heist but thought the bomb was fake [ 57 ] Roden... After 1:30p.m to buy crack cocaine. `` also adamant that Wells born... Showed her soft side natural causes at a Texas prison on April,! In Warren, Pennsylvania, to Rose and Harold Wells, the pizzeria received a from!
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