Hoopsick was among a few people that Thomas sought out when she wanted to buy crack cocaine after Butler's death, he said. The fact that shes saying it, you got to wonder why.. "We were able to investigate and talk to the people that she was with, and one of them was Jessica Hoopsick," Lightner said. Apparently Jessica Hoopsick is currently getting arrested. Clark was then asked whether he believed Rothstein was "essentially the mastermind behind the plan". I definitely want justice for Brians memory. Would someone who was aware of the heist act in this manner? You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib. 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. [64], A collection of news articles that reported developments in the Wells story was analyzed in a scientific study of information novelty. 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. Two conspirators Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes were ultimately convicted of conspiracy and armed bank robbery charges in connection with the collar bomb case. Is 30 minutes or less based on the pizza bomber? In the documentary, she expressed regret for her actions, and revealed that Wells didnt have any prior knowledge of the heist. He suffered from diabetes and died in prison on June 20, 2019, at the age of 6465.[13]. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong/Age at death. Investigators said Hoopsick was uncooperative after the deadly heist in 2003. "The True Cost" (2015): This deep dive into the fashion industry not only exposes the deadly cost of cheap clothing, it shows just how little executives at some of the most successful companies capitalizing on foreign labor care about it. Thomas weighs approximately 300 pounds and Butler weighed approximately 120 pounds, investigators wrote in the affidavit of probable cause. Jessica Hoopsick Friends Photos Videos More Friends Photos Videos About Work Self-Employed Worked at Panos' Restaurant 1995 - 2005 College Studied medical assistant at Great Lakes Institute of Technology High school No schools to show Photos See all photos Others Named Jessica Hoopsick Jessica Hoopsick Jessica Hoopsick Jessica Hoopsick See more And there were times when she showed her soft side.. Borzillieri explained when he read a 2007 document that was unsealed, he knew Hoopsick had more information than she had previously let on. 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. 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.. Barnes was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, and Diehl-Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison, where she died in 2017. 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. 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. "That's the way I think the evidence leads," he responded. [26], According to law enforcement, upon arriving at the television tower, Wells found the plot had changed and learned the bomb was real. How to Market Your Business with Webinars. His death was ruled accidental. He was 60. Does Unforgotten work without Nicola Walker? How do you find the beginning inventory for a production budget? The address was the location of the transmitting tower of WSEE-TV at the end of a dirt road. They are "adamant" that Jessica is lying however i think they are just trying to cover their ass. She has been troubled since she was very young and has been charged multiple times in different counties with prostitution and retail theft. 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? Barnes is expected to be released in 2027, according to FCI Coleman Low, the federal correctional facility where hes currently incarcerated in Florida. He had no parts in the planning. 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. [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. "I have a lot of remorse for a lot of the stuff I did and a lot of shame and guilt," she. This episode is sad. We could do a Good Genius, too., The best documentaries are enlightening, infuriating and sometimes even frightening Making a Murderer certainly was. Two co-conspirators, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes, were indicted on charges of bank robbery, conspiracy and weapon charges. jessica hoopsick child with brian wellscircle magazine phone number. Known as the collar bomb case or pizza bomber case, the incident gained extensive media coverage, including the 2018 Netflix series Evil Genius. He told state troopers he was forced to wear the collar at gunpoint shortly before robbing the bank. 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. Is 30 minutes or less based on a true story? [33][34], At 2:38, a witness called 9-1-1 from the bank and reported a male leaving the bank with "a bomb or something wrapped around his neck". He enjoyed a routine, awaking at the same time every morning, reading the local paper, eating breakfast at McDonalds, and then going to work. Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. Swank also reported that he specified whether the price included specific sexual services, and she texted, Yes.. fucking loser these detectives are. 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. When he reached the counter, he began sucking a lollipop. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNoneill. How did Brian Wells the pizza bomber die? In conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the FBI investigation led to Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes being charged with the crime in 2007. [20] The collar of the bomb was still intact and Wells's body was decapitated so it could be retained. Please consult your doctor before taking any action. 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. [18], Immediately after his death, investigators searched Wells' house and found a list of people he knew, including two prostitutes unknown to other members of his family. All rights reserved. Or, was he forced to take part in the robbery against his will? He is an associate professor of criminal justice at Gannon University, where he chairs the criminal justice program. [21] Buchanan stated Wells had been involved in the plot from the beginning but that his co-conspirators fitted him with a real bomb that would have exploded even if it were removed. Jessica Hoopsick-possible co-conspirator, prostitute, addict In 2003, Erie Pennsylvania, a 46-year old man robbed a PNC bank. When Wells discovered that the bomb was real, Barnes said a pistol was fired in order to force Wells' compliance, and witnesses confirmed hearing a gunshot. "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. 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. "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. At the bank, Brian Wells handed a teller a note demanding $250,000 within the next 15 minutes. [54] In November 2012, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed her conviction. 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]. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. In her mind, she had a lot of people paying attention to her but in the end, she was never really loved.. [21][22] According to an FBI affidavit, two witnesses confirmed that Wells talked about the robbery about a month before it occurred. After being offered $5,000, Hoopsick suggests Wells and gives up his work schedule at the pizzeria. 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. He has co-written two books about the pizza bomber case and frequently speaks about it. Jessica Hoopsick, Self: Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist. Wells would have been expecting payment had he lived, a rando would have been an ultimate victim and could have just dropped the money. The child she alleges to have had by Brian Wells would be her youngest known child. 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. She testified at Diehl-Armstrong's trial. Schroeder, who wrote and directed Evil Genius, said the team had discussed the confession with current and former investigators at the state and federal level. It seemed like this person had information. The documentary series Evil Genius: The True Story of Americas Most Diabolical Bank Heist, which debuted in May, tells the story of Brian Wells. [55][56] In December 2015, Diehl-Armstrong lost a second appeal of her conviction. ", "Both parties were extremely intoxicated," Del Duca said. Jessica Hoopsick, a prostitute whom Brian Wells frequented, became a key witness for the FBI in unraveling the pizza bomber case. We just couldnt get enough from her. William Rothstein and Floyd Stockton were also found to have conspired in the crime, but Rothstein died before being charged and Stockton was granted immunity in exchange for testifying against Diehl-Armstrong. (Spoiler alert: Do not read on if you havent watched Evil Genius). It took a long time to get.. 1:07-cr-26-SJM-1. He had no idea what was going to happen to him.. Its probably drug or prostitution related. Jessica Hoopsick, one of Wells' favorite prostitutes, admitted to her involvement in the plot. Her court-appointed lawyer, Mark Del Duca, of Pittsburgh, called the attack an "alcohol- and drug-fueled event. 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. [41], Roden had been living with Diehl-Armstrong for 10 years. However, the story does strike a resemblance to a bank robbery. Diehl-Armstrong suggested Barnes kill her father, Harold Diehl, so she would receive an inheritance. [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. 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. It did so, by her participating in the documentary., He added, The relationship evolved. After watching this terrifying expos on how the big business of divorce ruins the lives of parents and children caught in the crossfire, you'll think twice about ever popping the question. And says Bill Rothstein was the true mastermind. Her father's estate had once been valued about $1.8 million, but gifts to friends had lowered the value to less than $120,000 at his death in January 2014, at the age of 95. According to neighbors and friends, Wells was described as hardworking and reliable. Wells' family said he was forced to rob the bank by the conspirators. She died of breast cancer at 68 in April 2017 while she was serving her sentence at a federal womens prison close to Fort Worth, Texas. One of the prostitutes he frequented, Jessica Hoopsick, knew Kenneth Barnes, who dealt crack and whose house was used by prostitutes. The four-part true crime documentary series followed the Pizza Bomber case, which saw pizza delivery driver Brian Wells rob PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania whilst wearing a collar bomb which exploded and killed him following his swift capture by police. They let an innocent man, my brother, die while in their custody and they didn't even lift a finger to help him. 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. She killed two boyfriends, including one whose body was stuffed in a freezer. 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. In the documentary, Hoopsick claimed that she was a favorite prostitute for Wells and that she set him up at the request of the organizers of the robbery plot. 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. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. [33] The note stated the bomb would explode in fifteen minutes and that the full amount must be handed over within that time. [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. [58], As the case continued to develop, the investigation garnered national media coverage in America. A report in US Weekly reveals that on August 28, 2003, a pizza deliveryman named Brian Wells robbed a PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania. [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. The documentary is less clear, however, on Wells' involvement, although director Trey Borzillieri elicited a confession from Jessica Hoopstick a sex worker who frequently slept with Wells (and later had a baby that Wells likely fathered) who claimed that Wells had no idea when he delivered the pizza to Rothstein's property that a bomb would It was believed Wells was killed to reduce the number of witnesses.[20]. [5], The responding police officers did not attempt to disarm the device, instead focusing on clearing the immediate area of pedestrians and ensuring Wells could not detonate the device. How old was Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong when she died? Was he an accompliceor was he ambushed and forced to carry out a heist he couldnt possibly have successfully performed? [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. One would think this strange scenario would be an easy decision for a judge, but get ready to get angry. Evil Genius on Netflix has become our latest obsession. Upon Harold Wells death due to multiple sclerosis when he was only 60 years old, his wife was left to raise their five children. Magazines, Digital Thomas also went out to purchase more crack cocaine when she woke up after the assault on Butler, Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Lightner said. Do you need a ground wire for a dishwasher? Jessica E. 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