fucking loser these detectives are. 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. "I just want to apologize to the family. Jessica E. Hoopsick, of Erie, faces a prostitution charge in Greensburg. Two co-conspirators, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes, were indicted on charges of bank robbery, conspiracy and weapon charges. [43], 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. Is 30 minutes or less based on a true story? 2 How old was Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong when she died? Wells would have been expecting payment had he lived, a rando would have been an ultimate victim and could have just dropped the money. [6][9] In 1984, she shot her boyfriend Robert Thomas six times as he lay on the couch but was acquitted on claims of self-defense. Another man who had died prior, Bill Rothstein, was also indicted as a conspirator in the crime, along with Wells. "This was an attack that was incredibly violent and it was incredibly depraved," Lightner said. At first, Hoopsick didnt want to get involved out of fear. Massage Beds & Heat Mats. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong masterminded a 2003 robbery plot in Pennsylvania that led to the bombing death of pizza delivery man Brian Wells. I think that Jessica Hoopsick feels a lot of guilt over what happened to Brian and that's why she wants to push the narrative in a direction that makes him look better. [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. Butler's sister, Sandra Butler, asked Cunningham to impose a longer prison sentence. Do you need a ground wire for a dishwasher? Theres misinformation and theres disinformation within this case, Borzillieri told TheWrap. Barnes was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, and Diehl-Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison, where she died in 2017. Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? [63] In May 2018, Netflix released Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist, a documentary series about the case. Az adatvdelmi irnyelvek kztt s a Cookie-szablyzatban bvebben olvashat arrl, hogyan hasznljuk fel az adatait. This episode is sad. In 2003, Brian Wells robbed a bank with a bomb collar around his neck, but who was the mastermind behind the notorious crime? Movies. He had no parts in the planning. During the interview, Clark also suggested his theory that it was Bill Rothstein who was the true mastermind of the PNC bank heist. RELATED:Who Is Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong? [14], 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. He was granted immunity for his testimony against Diehl-Armstrong, but was never called to testify in court due to illness. [33] The note stated the bomb would explode in fifteen minutes and that the full amount must be handed over within that time. Less than two years since the September 11 attacks, many at first believed the incident to be terrorism-related. Or, was he forced to take part in the robbery against his will? She testified at Diehl-Armstrong's trial. The 4-episode true crime documentary tells the tale of a bank heist plot that resulted in the death of one man, and the start of an endless series of questions, some of which are still unanswered almost 15 years later. 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. brian wells - according to her would never have even been involved had she not offered him up as a patsy. 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. Magazines, Digital 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. It continued on for years afterwards, and the hope was to collect information and shed light on the truths within the case. [3] The collar bomb-bank robbery plot was hatched to obtain enough money to pay Barnes to kill Diehl-Armstrong's father. Not sure, someone in the comments claimed they knew her and were there for the arrest. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Brian Douglas Wells (November 15, 1956 - August 28, 2003) was an American man who died after becoming involved in a complex plot involving a bank robbery, a scavenger hunt, and a homemade explosive device. [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. 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. 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. "Yes.". Upon being apprehended by police, Wells was murdered when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated. [5], 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. "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. Wells' family said he was not a willing participant in the incident. EXCLUSIVE. All Marriage & Divorce results for Hoopsick. 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.. makes no sense to me at all. 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. [12][6], Kenneth Barnes (1954 June 20, 2019) was a retired television repairman, crack dealer, and Diehl-Armstrong's "fishing buddy". . 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. Brian Douglas Wells was 46-years-old and wasn't a bank robber. Then, at the documentary's end, Jessica Hoopsick, a prostitute frequented by Wells, drops the bombshell that she solicited him to get involved on behalf of Ken Barnes because he was "a. Please consult your doctor before taking any action. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNoneill. 739 F.Supp.2d 786, "Diehl-Armstrong comes up short in 2nd appeal", Netflix's Evil Genius Ends With a Stunning Confession. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. Barnes, 64, who suffers from severe diabetes, is incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center at Butner, North Carolina, near Raleigh. Diehl-Armstrong, who outlived her parents and had no siblings or children, is buried in a cemetery near there, according to the Bureau of Prisons. [26], According to law enforcement, upon arriving at the television tower, Wells found the plot had changed and learned the bomb was real. 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. [1] Wells was seen leaving Rothstein's house the day before the incident, and investigators believe he participated in a rehearsal. Upon entering the bank around 2:30p.m., Wells slid the note to a teller. [32], Wells' corpse was found with nine pages of handwritten instructions addressed to "Bomb Hostage," directing him to rob the bank. 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]. Apparently Jessica Hoopsick is currently getting arrested. He was an unindicted co-conspirator in the pizza bomber case because he was dead when a federal grand jury handed up the indictments in July 2007. "We were able to investigate and talk to the people that she was with, and one of them was Jessica Hoopsick," Lightner said. Its probably drug or prostitution related. Did Jessica hoopsick get charged? Evil Genius on Netflix has become our latest obsession. Swank said that he told Hoopsick that her name sounded familiar and asked if she had ever been arrested in Greensburg. The deceased Rothstein and Wells were named as un-indicted co-conspirators. The reason, she says, is because the elusive key witness that came forward in the final moments of the series. 1:07-cr-26-SJM-1. For her to have the self awareness to say, I used to be the prettiest girl in town but she took herself to see someone at 23 because she felt there was something wrong with her mind and no one taking her that seriously, thats when I felt sorry for her Her level of self awareness was dazzling., For Schroeder andBorzillieri, the story is far from over. Before we go any further, we have to make sure: You've seen "Making a Murderer," right? ", "Both parties were extremely intoxicated," Del Duca said. On September 3, 2008, Barnes pleaded guilty to conspiring to rob a bank and to aiding and abetting. In May, she was named general counsel ofKraken, a San-Francisco based cryptocurrency exchange. 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. 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. After being offered $5,000, Hoopsick suggests Wells and gives up his work schedule at the pizzeria. [30][31], Wells was instructed to claim that three black men had forced the bomb on him and were holding him as a hostage. [1] Stockton died of acute respiratory failure in Bellingham, Washington at the age of 74-75. Swank also reported that he specified whether the price included specific sexual services, and she texted, Yes.. He appeared confident as he left the bank, swinging his cane gun and the bag of money "like Charlie Chaplin" according to one witness. He was a pizza delivery driver and he had a clean criminal record. 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. [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. I think that if anyone implicated themselves, it was her, as being a conspirator, in bringing him to the table, Wick said. I requested two-hour service, and she stated the rate would be $250 for two hours, Swank reported. "If you look at this case, Marjorie Diehl Armstrong really was the one that came up with the idea to get the money from the bank to pay Ken Barnes to kill her father to get an inheritance," he added. 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. After being offered $5,000, Hoopsick suggests Wells and gives up his work schedule at the pizzeria. The man who claims to have been her common-law husband, Mark Marvin, who lives near Poughkeepsie, New York, has unsuccessfully argued in federal court that Diehl-Armstrong might not be dead, and if she is dead, that the government should release her remains to him for a Quaker burial. Jerry Clark and Ed Palattella. RELATED:8 Best True Crime Podcasts For People Who Just Love Being Scared, A post shared by @bluesbobb on May 17, 2018 at 9:56am PDT. She worked out of Ken Barnes' crack house, and the. They are "adamant" that Jessica is lying however i think they are just trying to cover their ass. He wasnt out to hurt nobody. The infamous pizza bomber narrative is as explosive as it soundsalthough filled with more twists and turns than actual pizza. May 9, 2022 candlelight vigil tonight. We always believed that Jessica knew more, retired ATF Special Agent Jason Wick told TIME in a recent interview about the documentary. Was he involved from the beginning and a co-conspirator in the foiled plot? Brian never would have done this.. Law enforcement was really tight-lipped, and Rothstein had died, saidBorzillieri. Throughout the documentary series, it is alleged that Diehl-Armstrongs had a variety of mental health disorders and sought help numerous times. Hoopsick was arrested on a prostitution charge in Greensburg in June. Yes but Im torn about this at least she tries to do the right thing eventually. Thomas also told police she placed her head on the couch so a portion of her body would be on Butler's head. 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. [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. Jessica Hoopsick The 38-year-old Erie resident was working as a prostitute when she met Brian Wells, the victim in the pizza bomber case. A report in US Weekly reveals that on August 28, 2003, a pizza deliveryman named Brian Wells robbed a PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania. How did Brian Wells the pizza bomber die? You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. Police said Butler's body was found on the living room floor at the residence after Thomas called 911 and reported she had killed an individual. I have never talked with someone who was as passionate and came across as truthful as our elusive eye witness, said Schroeder. He added: "I have to follow where the trail of evidence leads and the truth and what other people have said, including people who were independently interviewed that had some involvement in the case, their information is contrary to that, and that he did have some knowledge and that he did have a pre-planning meeting and that to his credit he tried to back out and they forced him to do [the heist] and told him [the bomb] was fake. Are examples of Marjorie happening around the world?, Schroeder added, Its easy to say she was mentally ill and the system didnt do what it shouldve done, her parents didnt do what they shouldve done maybe everyone bears a little blame The saddest moments for me are the amount of therapy and analysis she had. 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. [45] Barnes's sentence was later reduced to 22.5 years after he testified against Diehl-Armstrong. She was serving a life sentence plus 30 years for the bank robbery plot. Warning: This post contains spoilers for Evil Genius: The True Story of Americas Most Diabolical Bank Heist on Netflix. Prosecutors argued that Diehl-Armstrong hired Barnes to kill her father over a dispute of inheritance and needed $250,000 to pay him, which is what Wells allegedly was supposed to take from the bank. 5/27/2018 1:00 AM PT. The documentary series Evil Genius: The True Story of Americas Most Diabolical Bank Heist, which debuted in May, tells the story of 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. Hoopsick, in the documentary, claimed that Wells was innocent and had no involvement in planning the bank robbery that led to his death. 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