Tragic Collar Bomb Heist Claims Life of Pizza Delivery Driver

On August 28, 2003, a shocking incident unfolded in Erie, Pennsylvania, when pizza delivery driver Brian Wells walked into a bank armed with a shotgun and wearing a collar bomb. This bizarre robbery ended tragically when the device detonated, leading to a complex investigation that captivated the public and stumped law enforcement for years. The case, often referred to as the “collar bomb heist,” raised numerous questions about Wells’ involvement and the conspiracy behind the fatal events.

Wells, 46, entered the PNC Bank demanding $250,000 in cash, handing a note to a teller that threatened the bomb would explode if his demands were not met. After receiving a bag containing over $8,000, Wells was apprehended by police just outside the bank. While sitting on the pavement, he claimed he had been forced into the robbery by three individuals he encountered while delivering a pizza. As news cameras captured the unfolding drama, Wells pleaded for help, indicating that time was running out as the bomb beeped ominously around his neck.

The situation escalated dramatically when the bomb exploded, killing Wells instantly. The aftermath revealed troubling evidence, including several pages of handwritten instructions found in his car. These documents contained routes to the bank and details on how to deactivate the bomb, suggesting that Wells had been coerced into this deadly scheme. However, investigators concluded that the bomb’s design made it virtually impossible for him to dismantle it in time.

As the investigation progressed, authorities examined every aspect of the case, leading to speculation about whether Wells had any culpability in the plot. A federal agent noted, “It defies logic that a human would do that to himself. But in all my years on the job, it never ceased to amaze me what people do and what the possibilities are.”

The narrative took a darker turn as law enforcement focused on individuals linked to the crime, including Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, who was believed to be one of the masterminds. According to the 2018 Netflix documentary series Evil Genius, Diehl-Armstrong had allegedly orchestrated the plan to force Wells into the bank to obtain money for a hit on her father, whom she incorrectly believed to be wealthy. Prior to the robbery, she had sought the expertise of Kenneth Barnes, asking if he knew how to make a bomb, and she passed two egg timers to William Rothstein, her ex-boyfriend who is suspected of assembling the deadly device.

In the aftermath of the incident, federal prosecutors held both Barnes and Diehl-Armstrong accountable for Wells’ death. In July 2007, they announced that Wells was also partly involved in the planning due to his financial troubles. Wells’ family vocally protested this characterization, asserting that he was a victim of the conspiracy rather than a collaborator.

Barnes pleaded guilty in September 2008 to charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and using a destructive device in a violent crime. Initially sentenced to 45 years in prison, his sentence was reduced in exchange for testimony against Diehl-Armstrong during her trial. He died on June 20, 2019, after claiming that Wells was unaware of the true nature of the bomb until it was too late.

Diehl-Armstrong was convicted in November 2010 for armed robbery, conspiracy, and using a destructive device. She received a life sentence plus 30 years but maintained her innocence throughout, insisting that Rothstein was the true mastermind. Rothstein died of lymphoma in July 2004, shortly after the events that claimed Wells’ life.

The tragic story of Brian Wells remains a cautionary tale of deceit, desperation, and tragedy. It highlights the complexities surrounding criminal conspiracies and the devastating consequences that can arise from them. Diehl-Armstrong passed away from breast cancer on April 4, 2017, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with one of the most shocking bank heists in American history.