"Collar Bomb" Victim Was A Plotter

CptSternn · 07-12-2007, 01:36 AM

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...071pizza1.html

JULY 11--The Pennsylvania pizza delivery man who stuck up a bank and then was killed when a bomb attached to his neck exploded was a coconspirator in the bizarre 2003 scheme. In an indictment unsealed today, Brian Wells is identified as a participant in the plot to rob a PNC Bank branch in Erie. A copy of the indictment can be found below. According to investigators, Wells and several other coconspirators hatched the robbery scheme, which involved Wells going into the bank with a homemade bomb locked around his neck. Wells is pictured at right in a bank surveillance photo. After he walked out with $8702, Wells was apprehended by cops. At that point, he claimed that the device was strapped on him by unknown gunmen who accosted him after he delivered pizzas to them. While waiting for the bomb squad to arrive and examine the homemade device, it exploded, killing the 46-year-old Wells. The three-count indictment charges Marjorie Diehl Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes with bank robbery, conspiracy, and weapons possession. Armstrong allegedly hatched the plot because she needed money to pay Barnes to kill her father. While it does not appear her father was murdered, Armstrong was subsequently convicted of killing James Roden, her live-in boyfriend, "to keep him from disclosing the bank robbery plan that was being formulated by the co-conspirators." A fifth plotter, William Rothstein, died in 2004. Roden and Rothstein are referred to by their initials in the indictment

I'm not sure how many have been following this, but a few years back a man with a bomb around his neck, ala Saw style, robbed a bank and said he was forced to by men in masks. Well, long story short, after robbing the bank he was supposed to follow a map to drop off the money and collect a key to unlock the bomb device so he wouldn't die. Cops arrested him before he could do this and then held him in custody until the timer reached 0 and he exploded.

For years they said they had no leads, now, overnight they claim they have solved this mystery.

Now, personally, I watched this on the news then and now, and the conclusion they have come to is pretty far out. Lets look at this story...

First, they claim two other persons, currently in prison, planned this. They showed these people on telly - two in-bread country bumkins from a trailer park allegedly came up with this - mainly a 50 year old woman. I find this hard to believe, especially when you look at her history of being a female slacker bum.

Second, they claim that the man killed was involved, which is odd since he ended up dying because of the device - why exactly would he kill himself just to make people think he is innocent?

Then there is the other big glaring issue here - they say the people who planned this did not know the man who died, but yet a third party worked as a go between to arrange all of this, of course, this man died unexpectedly even before the investigation, but they say he is the link between the two, even though they never spoke to him.

So to recap, the man who died wasn't a victim, he was the robber, allegedly since he is dead he can't argue this. Also, his accomplice is also dead, once again a nice way to cast off any doubt, seeings how neither can argue their innocence. And finally, two local scumbags who they can't directly tie to this are in prison on other charges, and have had their sentences increased due to their alleged involvement, although their involvement was tied to the first dead guy who can't verify any of this anyway.

The families of the dead, plus those in jail are all claiming the FBI is trying to sell this crap so they don't have yet another unsolved mystery on their hands, like with the anthrax and other current FBI failures.

The FBI claims they have made the right conclusions, and since all are based on dead people no one can argue if they end the investigation.

Anyone else find this just a bit off? Sorta like the man they found shot twice in the head a while back and deemed a suicide, it just seems like they throw up any answer to be able to claim they did their job these days.

KontanKarite · 07-12-2007, 08:57 AM

I sort of just scanned through it, but if the guy was part of it, why would he strap an actual BOMB around his neck? It's not hard to make something at least LOOK like a bomb and if anyone saw the timer, you think they'd want to test the idea that it could have been fake?

Rae Ven Rae · 07-12-2007, 12:37 PM

I dunno - I tossed this around a few times myself -- there was his supposed calm when he robbed the place, but then, people under stress sometimes become numb and emotionless, and do not always fall into stereotypical freaked out histronics, so it is possible he seemed calm but was anything but...

But lets say it was a plan -- he really wanted to commit suicide and go out in a band or glory

Or his miscalculated the police's ability to get him free in time -- he used a real bomb to make it look authentic ...

who knows

The answers died with the man..

Lapin · 07-12-2007, 12:42 PM

I read this in the paper this morning. I don't know what I believe, but I think the cops were bloody stupid to just let him die when he could have gotten the key.

KontanKarite · 07-12-2007, 12:43 PM

The answer is actually quite simple. Strap a bomb to your neck and it makes you a retard.

Lapin · 07-12-2007, 12:46 PM

Now Kontan, just because they strapped a bomb to his neck doesn't make him an idiot. The fact he couldn't get it off (IF he did it himself) does.

KontanKarite · 07-12-2007, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lapin

. The fact he couldn't get it off (IF he did it himself) does.

My thoughts exactly.

CptSternn · 07-13-2007, 12:57 AM

It wasn't just a bomb. Have you seen pictures of the device? It was actually two bombs, with three seperate timers all hooked to one keyed mechanism. It literally looked like something out of the Saw films - made to fit around a neck, was locked from behind, and had explosives set and angled to send the blast directly to the neck line to sever the head.

And to think their explanation is some old lady in a trailer park with no explosives or metal work training was able to describe it to her equally as inept boyfriend and somehow actually turn this device into a reality seems to be a stretch

Here are some pix -

http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...h+Images&gbv=2

They never found where the device was made, and also claimed that they never found where the explosives came from, which once again begs the question - then how or why do they think these eejits had anything to do with it?

This is a very sophisticated explosive device made by a person with access to various substances as well as a very intricate mechanical device also made by a master craftsman with obvious metal working abilities. No one they charged or claimed was involved had any type of training or skills which would have allowed them to create such a device. It's not like you can get the parts and chemicals needed plus all the tools and whip one up in your trailer after ye get home from werk.

Don't Look Behind You · 07-13-2007, 04:23 AM

Seems simple....the police don't feel like working too hard. Why not blame those that are disliked by society anyways? I sure hope this will not be left like this and that someone gets his ass off the couch and does some research.

dark_dragon_of_ice · 07-13-2007, 04:50 AM

Once again it shows that being a police officer is one of the most thankless jobs.

Don't Look Behind You · 07-13-2007, 04:56 AM

depends on if you do your job, no?

not attacking all police....

dark_dragon_of_ice · 07-13-2007, 05:07 AM

Sorry..Im just sick with people over here bitching about the police when their doing a pretty good job. As for this case Im not to sure...I think some things might be being left out.

Don't Look Behind You · 07-13-2007, 05:14 AM

I usualy don't bitch about the police. But according to the information I have gained about this particular case in this thread leads to one thought: the police don't feel like working any more and thus invent a story by blaming people that are either outcasts of society anyways or dead.
Their theory can seem legitimate only if they have proof of where the bomb came from for example...maybe they have it, but don't tell anyone? Donno.
If Sternn's comment about the "suicide" of a guy with two bullets in his head is also true, then I am not sure if the police are shown in a good light here.

Of course they are also people, and yet they have a job to do which can be criticized like any other.

dark_dragon_of_ice · 07-13-2007, 05:29 AM

Well as I said I dont know enough..However I do think it looks a bit dodgey.
Now with the 2 bullet sucide..It all depends on the type of gun(most likely)... or if muscle spasm could have resulted in a 2nd shot however unlikely it seems( I doubt it).However I dont know with lack of information 0.0

Don't Look Behind You · 07-13-2007, 05:35 AM

yeah, i guess it is difficult to form a clear opinion not knowing everything.

And yet one has to be paranoid living in this world, methinks.

Renatus · 07-13-2007, 02:23 PM

Eh well if you want to start attacking the police I know of a jackass of a cop. When he was taking this one teen I know to the mental hospital for attempting suicide when asked "you don't actualy care about me do you" responded with somthing similar to " we're just trying to keep everyone safe" or in otherwords I don't give a fuck about you I'm just doing my job. What makes it even worse is the rest of the state didn't seem to care either because the mental hospitals are worse than the juvinile detention centers. At least in there they have food that has flavor, give decent portions with seconds available, always have the bathrooms open for use, have video games, let you watch shows on fox, don't make you go to school during the summer, and don't have people suddenly making a commotion almost all the time. If anything it gives teens around here a reason to succeed awith their attempts at suicide or take out their feelings on somone else.

Haex · 07-13-2007, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renatus

...he was taking this one teen I know to the mental hospital for attempting suicide when asked "you don't actualy care about me do you" responded with somthing similar to " we're just trying to keep everyone safe" or in otherwords I don't give a fuck about you I'm just doing my job.

Wait, what? Your headache is Elder Goth? What I mean to say is: Fuck da PO-LEESE!

Well.... Police are going to be different, depending on where you are. In one county in Northern California, namely 'Placer', the cops are corrupt as fuck. If you had to choose, do not get arrested there, as beatings are a regular occurrence at the local jail. I know because my step-father was in there for a year and told me some fucked up stories... The governing seat, Placerville, was once known as 'old hangtown', so by that motivation, they wanted to put a logo of a hangman's noose on all the cop cars and street signs.
My ex-GF's brother was taking off with his father's motorcycle without his permission after a verbal fight which turned abusive, but unarmed(he just made off with it). The neighbors called the police after hearing the fighting, and they basically gunned him the fuck down as he tried to drive away...
I'm sure there's much worse cops over the world, but this is in California, for fuck's sake.

In my old apartments in Sacramento, the SWAT team was called out because a dude there was threatening to shoot himself and generally having a fit everywhere. He walked to the middle of the parking lot with the gun pointed to his head and everyone I'd asked at the complex said he was putting it down when the snipers opened fire. The cops said he was waving it at the crowd, and that's what most newspapers printed, but like I said, everyone I asked claimed differently. His body was apparently shot 27 times, right outside my window, which I hadn't noticed since I was listening to Skinny Puppy or something to drown out the fucking frat boys :P.

dark_dragon_of_ice · 07-14-2007, 12:04 AM

Yeah I agee with the top poster lets get rid of the police 0.0
"(sarcasm)"

Haex · 07-14-2007, 12:59 AM

dark_dragon_of_ice, I can't seem to find where the top poster, CptSternn, claims we should get rid of the police. Could you clear that up for me?

dark_dragon_of_ice · 07-14-2007, 01:29 AM

I was just commenting On what you said..I normally take fuck the "somthing" as that. Sorry If you meant somthing different.

Don't Look Behind You · 07-14-2007, 06:37 AM

No one here is saying "lets get rid of the police". No one here is stupid enough to say that becuase it's clear that as a general phenomenon police are necessary for maintaining order.
But police have power and power has the tendency to be misused. No one is attacking police in general, but just pointing out that among the police there are many idiots indeed.And it is important to point out such idiots becuase they claim to be keeping order and being completely fair, which makes them corrupt hypocrites.
So don't get upset, but you cannot assume all police are good guys.

CptSternn · 07-16-2007, 12:21 AM

I'm not sure where ye got the whole 'get rid of the police' idea from - this thread is about a well thought out crime involving some custom made devices and how the federal government in the states has decided to pin the whole thing on a couple of dead patsies so people won't think they are incompetent.

I mean, none of the people they are blaming this on have the mental capacity nor the skills needed to even come up with such a plan, much less turn the devices found from ideas into reality.

It just goes to show that the fbi still even with the trillions of upgrades, new equiptment, and all those new agents still haven't found any of the 'big fish' they have been going after since 9/11.

I mean, tracking down a 14 year old who posts she hated bush on myspace, they were all over that.

Person(s) putting anthrax in the mail? Person(s) making devices like in the movie saw and putting unwitting hostages in them and making him do his/her will?

Yeah, things like this still leave authorities in the states baffled. I mean, they can get the average joe soap who speaks out, or use all those new powers given to them under the patriot act to go after many Americans they never had issue with before, but hey, real crimes, like before, go unsolved or else the make up a convenient person to pin the crime on, no matter how outlandish it might sound, after the media have dropped the story.

Haex · 07-16-2007, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dark_dragon_of_ice

I was just commenting On what you said..I normally take fuck the "somthing" as that. Sorry If you meant somthing different.

Ah... Sorry, got carried away and forgot to mention that it was a quote of a graffiti scrawled across the suicidal dude's memorial, which happened to also be the cement curb for the dumpster... Thought it a bit funny, that this person would choose to write in colloquial, such a message right beside the flowers and catholic-imagery emblazoned candles the departed's family left.

If aliens came to Earth and saw shit like this, they'd go all Mr. Kurtz and "Exterminate all the Brutes!"