Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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. Was he an accompliceor was he ambushed and forced to carry out a heist he couldnt possibly have successfully performed? Thomas also told police she placed her head on the couch so a portion of her body would be on Butler's head. brian wells - according to her would never have even been involved had she not offered him up as a patsy. It continued on for years afterwards, and the hope was to collect information and shed light on the truths within the case. RELATED:Who Is Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong? Windi C. Thomas went out to buy crack cocaine before calling 911 to report that she had beaten and crushed her boyfriend to death on March 18, a prosecutor said Friday. If the answer is "no," then what are you waiting for? 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. The inheritance Diehl-Armstrong reportedly coveted was ultimately denied to her. 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. "I can't get my brother back.". He had no parts in the planning. It took five years of persistence to eventually get her to a place where she was comfortable revealing a deeper truth to the story., Schroeder added, Trey was at the right place at the right time when she wanted to cleanse her conscience, to get her true confession for the first time. The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal on season 3, Neighbours announces seven more returning cast. 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. 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. [21][22] According to an FBI affidavit, two witnesses confirmed that Wells talked about the robbery about a month before it occurred. [62], Due to its novelty and complexity, the story retains a fascination for many people. 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. Her court-appointed lawyer, Mark Del Duca, of Pittsburgh, called the attack an "alcohol- and drug-fueled event. 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. Could Wells really have been a victim of the same bank robbery he helped carry out? Upon being apprehended by police, Wells was murdered when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong masterminded a 2003 robbery plot in Pennsylvania that led to the bombing death of pizza delivery man Brian Wells. [11] Diehl-Armstrong died from breast cancer in prison on April 4, 2017, at the age of 68. Hoopsick could not be reached by TIME, despite multiple efforts. 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. [5], Diehl-Armstrong, Barnes, and Rothstein seem to have had issues with compulsive hoarding. Warning: This post contains spoilers for Evil Genius: The True Story of Americas Most Diabolical Bank Heist on Netflix. Hoopsick was never charged in the pizza bomber case. 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. His release date is Sept. 10, 2027. But theres always that doubt.. [2], At Kenneth Barnes' home, he, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, and William Rothstein discussed ways they could make money. 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.. [52], 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. 9 Is the pizza bomber really the collar bomb heist? Apparently she's being charged with setting Brian up. The January 2011 issue of Wired magazine covered the story. His death was ruled accidental. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. They had long suspected her involvement but didnt have enough evidence to build a case against her. In May, she was named general counsel ofKraken, a San-Francisco based cryptocurrency exchange. He is an associate professor of criminal justice at Gannon University, where he chairs the criminal justice program. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. Saw it on Facebook. She told me that she had just been in that recent four-part Netflix documentary, Evil Genius, Swank reported. "I'm angry, I'm hurt, I'm in pain," Butler said in court. Is 30 minutes or less a true story? Brian Wells was born in Warren, Pennsylvania, to Rose and Harold Wells, the latter of whom was a Korean War veteran. The two corresponded for years for the documentary, even when Diehl-Armstrong was behind bars, and he stuck with her even when she verbally assaulted him over the phone. New Details About The Man In 'Evil Genius' On Netflix. [1] Stockton died of acute respiratory failure in Bellingham, Washington at the age of 74-75. With everything I read and everything I heard, I believe that he was completely innocent. I definitely want justice for Brians memory. Many are dead and just as many are alive, but since Aug. 28, 2003, a number of individuals have been involved 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 . 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. Our website services, content and products are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. [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. He suffered from diabetes and died in prison on June 20, 2019, at the age of 6465.[13]. [2] [23] The crime [ edit] Collar bomb [ edit] Plus, if Wells was voluntarily enlisted, the risk was increased as he may have shared the plot info with friends like Rob Pinetti. "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. Apparently Jessica Hoopsick is currently getting arrested. [57], In 2018, Jessica Hoopsick admitted to her involvement in the plot. She just wouldnt cooperate.. One of the convicted organizers of the plot, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, 68, died of natural causes in April 2017 at a Fort Worth, Texas, medical facility, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, as one judge described her, was a coldly calculated criminal recidivist and serial killer. She had experienced a lifetime of murder, mayhem, and mental illness. . Netflix 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. "Kids for Cash" (2013): Prepare to be even more disgusted with the criminal justice system, as this film details the disturbing decision of a once-celebrated judge to sentence kids to outrageously long juvenile detention sentences in exchange for money from the private company building the detention center. Apparently Jessica Hoopsick is currently getting arrested. Rothstein said she subsequently paid him $2,000 to help hide the body and clean the crime scene at her house. Investigators said Hoopsick was uncooperative after the deadly heist in 2003. Is the pizza bomber really the collar bomb heist? While co-conspirators claim that Wells was a part of the heist, his actions are confusing. Jessica Hoopsick-possible co-conspirator, prostitute, addict In 2003, Erie Pennsylvania, a 46-year old man robbed a PNC bank. 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. [19][20], 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. He has co-written two books about the pizza bomber case and frequently speaks about it. 8 How did Brian Wells the pizza bomber die? 2023 www.goerie.com. Jessica has several children that have been adopted. 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. In custody, Rothstein claimed Diehl-Armstrong had murdered her then-boyfriend Roden with a 12-gauge shotgun during a dispute over money. The sentence from Erie County Judge William R. Cunningham cut two to four years from the maximum possible sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison for third-degree murder, or an unpremeditated killing with malice. The deceased Rothstein and Wells were named as un-indicted co-conspirators. "I have a lot of remorse for a lot of the stuff I did and a lot of shame and guilt," she. [36], Around fifteen minutes after Wells left the bank, he had completed the first task of the treasure hunt. [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 have a lot of remorse for a lot of the stuff I did and a lot of shame and guilt, she says. Or, was he forced to take part in the robbery against his will? We could do a Good Genius, too., The best documentaries are enlightening, infuriating and sometimes even frightening Making a Murderer certainly was. jessica hoopsick child with brian wells. She was serving a life sentence plus 30 years for the bank robbery plot. 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. Drew Griffin and David Fitzpatrick (August 8, 2011), Mania and Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong: Inside the Mind of a Female Serial Killer by Jerry Clark, Ed Palattella, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist, 1973 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce bank robbery, New details revealed in 'pizza collar bomb' heist, "A Childlike Pizza Deliveryman at the Center of a Puzzling Crime", "Collar-Bomb Case Charges in Bizarre '03 Bank Heist", "Woman in pizza bomber case to get nothing from father", "The Incredible True Story of the Collar Bomb Heist", "Erie's Diehl-Armstrong recalled as unique and deadly criminal", "Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong Cause of Death: How Did She Die? Deceased (19492017) An Erie woman who was featured in the Netflix true-crime documentary Evil Genius, about the renowned 2003 collar-bomb bank robbery case, was detained Friday in the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $10,000 bail on a prostitution charge filed by Greensburg police. Though the documentary talks about the alleged mastermind, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, and a gaggle of co-conspirators, like Bill Rothstein, what about the plots victim, Brian Wells? A report in US Weekly reveals that on August 28, 2003, a pizza deliveryman named Brian Wells robbed a PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania. Hoopsick's involvement added a bizarre twist to an already unusual case, which ended Friday with Thomas' sentence of 18 to 36 years in state prison. 2 How old was Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong when she died? However, the story does strike a resemblance to a bank robbery. 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. When he was arrested after robbing the bank, the bomb went off and killed Wells. Wells' involvement in the plot is a matter of controversy. Wick said the new information should certainly be passed along to any state or federal law enforcement agency for review, since he said theres no statute of limitations for murder. She claimed she recommended Wells to Barnes for the heist in exchange for drug money, but. In August 2003, Stockton was hiding out with Rothstein while Stockton was on the run from prosecution in Washington state. 5/27/2018 1:00 AM PT. 1:07-cr-26-SJM-1. Menu. "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. Clark was then asked whether he believed Rothstein was "essentially the mastermind behind the plan". 2023 TIME USA, LLC. 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. 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". Mitchell scheduled Hoopsicks hearing for Aug. 16. Please consult your doctor before taking any action. [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. 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. "The Farm: Life Inside Angola Prison" (1998): This doc chronicles the lives of several inmates inside the nation's largest prison. 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. She has been troubled since she was very young and has been charged multiple times in different counties with prostitution and retail theft. Claimed she recommended Wells to Barnes for the heist, his actions are confusing,... 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