Case 81
Brian Wells
Case 81
Brian Wells
On August 28th, 2003, the Great Lakes city of Erie, Pennsylvania was in the height of summer.
46-year old Brian Wells did what he had done most mornings for the previous ten years – he went to his lunchtime shift as a pizza delivery man at Mama Mia’s Pizza.
The pizza joint was a small, unassuming place in a single story red brick shopping plaza on one of Erie’s main shopping strips; Peach Street.
Hugging the edge of the carpark there is a law firm, a hair and nail salon, a dentist and a laundromat—typical local stores, the kind you drive past without knowing they’re really there.
Cars pull in and out of the carpark every minute. The car that pulled out just after 1:30 pm that day was Brian’s, off to deliver his last pizzas for the shift.
He pulled out in his old green Geo Metro hatchback and headed south down busy Peach Street.
Three and a half miles down the road, Brian turned left down a dirt access road, arriving at a quiet wooded area by the transmission tower for the local tv station.
He slowly pulled to the side of the road and turned off his ignition, stepping out of the car to deliver two small pizzas.
What occurred next, changed everything.
Suddenly, Brian was in a race against time.
________
Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at anytime you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. Some suggestions for confidential support for men, women and children:
AUSTRALIA:
Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: Depression and anxiety support: 1300 22 46 36
Rape & Domestic Violence Services: 1800 737 732
Men's Line: 1300 78 99 78
Headspace: Youth Mental Health Foundation: see headspace.org.au for your local centre
USA:
Distress & Lifeline: 1800 273 8255
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741 741
Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 799 7233
Victim Connect: support for victims of crime: 855 484 2846
UK:
Mind: mental health support: 0300 123 3393
SANE: mental health support: 0300 304 7000
Samaritans support network: 116 123
National Stalking Helpline: 0808 802 0300
CANADA:
For a list of Canadian crisis centres: https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/call/
NEW ZEALAND:
Lifeline: 0800 543354
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (Text 4202)
______
If you are hearing impaired or know someone who is and would like to get a transcript of the episode, please email us at contact@casefilepodcast.com
CREDITS
NARRATION:
Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host
EPISODE:
Episode researched and written by Gemma Harris
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com
All other music and audio clean up performed by Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo design by Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
BOOKS:
Mania and Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong – by Clark, J & Palattella, E. (2017) Rowan & Littlefield
Pizza Bomber: The Untold Story of America’s Most Shocking Bank Robbery – by Clark, J. & Palattella, E. (2012) Berkley Books: New York
Engendered Death: Pennsylvania Women Who Kill – by Laythe, J. (2011) Lehigh University Press: United Kingdom
ARTICLES:
Erie bombing ‘victim’ was in on bank robbery – Cleveland.com
Erie bomb victim was the dupe in a greedy plan – Cleveland.com
Double-crossed – Cleveland.com
Jury convicts woman in collar bomb robbery – CBS News
Collar bomb bank robber gets 45 years – CBS News
Pizza delivery man who robbed bank had neck measured for bomb collar – Fox News
New details revealed in ‘pizza collar bomb’ heist – CNN
Collar bomb probe gets weirder – CBS News
Was pizza deliverer a robber or a victim? – USA Today
Hostage to misfortune – The Guardian
Erie”s Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong subject of new book – Erie Times-News
Pizza collar bomb case solved, official says – NBC News
Indictment: bomb victim in on bank plot – USA Today
Erie’s Diehl-Armstrong meets lonely end in Texas – Erie Times-News
Court petition seeks Diehl-Armstrong’s remains – Erie Times-News
Why does the weird find its way to Erie – Erie Times-News
Admitted bank robber has sentence cut for his testimony – Reuters
Pizza man bombing remains odd mystery – Fox News
The Incredible True Story of the Collar Bomb Heist – Wired
Suspect pleads guilty in collar bomb case – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
12th anniversary of Erie pizza bomber case – Your Erie
Truth about US collar bomb robbery remains elusive – BBC
Strange death belies pizza man’s quiet life – The Philadelphia Enquirer
Garage searched in bank robbery blast case – Gettysburg Times, p.3. (6 September 2003)
Tool owner denies knowing Erie robber – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p.33. (7 Sep 2003)
Officials say chaos delayed call to bomb squad after robbery – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p.10. (8 Sep 2003)
Robbery still unsolved – The Sentinel, p.10. (22 Aug 2004)
One year later, ‘pizza bomber’ is still a puzzle – The Philadelphia Enquirer, p.B06. (23 August 2004)
Feds say they have figured out pizza bomber case – Indiana Gazette, p.3. (17 February 2007)
Attorney: indictment to come soon in bomb case – Indiana Gazette, p.3. (10 July 2007)
Feds says collar bomb victim was part of plot – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p.1. (11 July 2007)
Elaborate plot is linked to death of pizza man – The Philadelphia Enquirer, p.B06. (12 July 2007)
DOCUMENTARIES/TV SHOWS:
TRANSCRIPTS:
Special Report – The Pizza Bomber – CNN (12 October 2013)
OTHER:
Have they ever talked about Brian Douglas Wells/the collar bomb pizza guy? – Reddit
Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Petitioner v. United States
Death of Brian Douglas Wells – Wikipedia
Brian Wells – website
Population Demographics for Erie, Pennsylvania in 2017, 2018
Census and Demographics for Erie
GE Transportation Cutting 1,100 Jobs
List of Shrinking Cities in the United States – Wikipedia
Hidden Erie: Watering trough reminder of another time
THIS EPISODE’S SPONSORS
Harry’s – Get started shaving with Harry’s today by claiming your Trial Set for £3.95
Squarespace – Free trial and 10% off your first order
SimpliSafe – Protect your home and your family today
On August 28th, 2003, the Great Lakes city of Erie, Pennsylvania was in the height of summer.
46-year old Brian Wells did what he had done most mornings for the previous ten years – he went to his lunchtime shift as a pizza delivery man at Mama Mia’s Pizza.
The pizza joint was a small, unassuming place in a single story red brick shopping plaza on one of Erie’s main shopping strips; Peach Street.
Hugging the edge of the carpark there is a law firm, a hair and nail salon, a dentist and a laundromat—typical local stores, the kind you drive past without knowing they’re really there.
Cars pull in and out of the carpark every minute. The car that pulled out just after 1:30 pm that day was Brian’s, off to deliver his last pizzas for the shift.
He pulled out in his old green Geo Metro hatchback and headed south down busy Peach Street.
Three and a half miles down the road, Brian turned left down a dirt access road, arriving at a quiet wooded area by the transmission tower for the local tv station.
He slowly pulled to the side of the road and turned off his ignition, stepping out of the car to deliver two small pizzas.
What occurred next, changed everything.
Suddenly, Brian was in a race against time.
______
Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at anytime you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. Some suggestions for confidential support for men, women and children:
AUSTRALIA:
Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: Depression and anxiety support: 1300 22 46 36
Rape & Domestic Violence Services: 1800 737 732
Men's Line: 1300 78 99 78
Headspace: Youth Mental Health Foundation: see headspace.org.au for your local centre
USA:
Distress & Lifeline: 1800 273 8255
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741 741
Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 799 7233
Victim Connect: support for victims of crime: 855 484 2846
UK:
Mind: mental health support: 0300 123 3393
SANE: mental health support: 0300 304 7000
Samaritans support network: 116 123
National Stalking Helpline: 0808 802 0300
CANADA:
For a list of Canadian crisis centres: https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/call
NEW ZEALAND:
Lifeline: 0800 543354
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (Text 4202)
______
If you are hearing impaired or know someone who is and would like to get a transcript of the episode, please email us at contact@casefilepodcast.com
CREDITS
NARRATION:
Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host
EPISODE:
Episode researched and written by Gemma Harris
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com
All other music and audio clean up performed by Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo design by Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
BOOKS:
Mania and Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong – by Clark, J & Palattella, E. (2017) Rowan & Littlefield
Pizza Bomber: The Untold Story of America’s Most Shocking Bank Robbery – by Clark, J. & Palattella, E. (2012) Berkley Books: New York
Engendered Death: Pennsylvania Women Who Kill – by Laythe, J. (2011) Lehigh University Press: United Kingdom
ARTICLES:
Erie bombing ‘victim’ was in on bank robbery – Cleveland.com
Erie bomb victim was the dupe in a greedy plan – Cleveland.com
Double-crossed – Cleveland.com
Jury convicts woman in collar bomb robbery – CBS News
Collar bomb bank robber gets 45 years – CBS News
Pizza delivery man who robbed bank had neck measured for bomb collar – Fox News
New details revealed in ‘pizza collar bomb’ heist – CNN
Collar bomb probe gets weirder – CBS News
Was pizza deliverer a robber or a victim? – USA Today
Hostage to misfortune – The Guardian
Erie”s Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong subject of new book – Erie Times-News
Pizza collar bomb case solved, official says – NBC News
Indictment: bomb victim in on bank plot – USA Today
Erie’s Diehl-Armstrong meets lonely end in Texas – Erie Times-News
Court petition seeks Diehl-Armstrong’s remains – Erie Times-News
Why does the weird find its way to Erie – Erie Times-News
Admitted bank robber has sentence cut for his testimony – Reuters
Pizza man bombing remains odd mystery – Fox News
The Incredible True Story of the Collar Bomb Heist – Wired
Suspect pleads guilty in collar bomb case – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
12th anniversary of Erie pizza bomber case – Your Erie
Truth about US collar bomb robbery remains elusive – BBC
Strange death belies pizza man’s quiet life – The Philadelphia Enquirer
Garage searched in bank robbery blast case – Gettysburg Times, p.3. (6 September 2003)
Tool owner denies knowing Erie robber – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p.33. (7 Sep 2003)
Officials say chaos delayed call to bomb squad after robbery – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p.10. (8 Sep 2003)
Robbery still unsolved – The Sentinel, p.10. (22 Aug 2004)
One year later, ‘pizza bomber’ is still a puzzle – The Philadelphia Enquirer, p.B06. (23 August 2004)
Feds say they have figured out pizza bomber case – Indiana Gazette, p.3. (17 February 2007)
Attorney: indictment to come soon in bomb case – Indiana Gazette, p.3. (10 July 2007)
Feds says collar bomb victim was part of plot – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p.1. (11 July 2007)
Elaborate plot is linked to death of pizza man – The Philadelphia Enquirer, p.B06. (12 July 2007)
DOCUMENTARIES/TV SHOWS:
TRANSCRIPTS:
Special Report – The Pizza Bomber – CNN (12 October 2013)
OTHER:
Have they ever talked about Brian Douglas Wells/the collar bomb pizza guy? – Reddit
Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Petitioner v. United States
Death of Brian Douglas Wells – Wikipedia
Brian Wells – website
Population Demographics for Erie, Pennsylvania in 2017, 2018
Census and Demographics for Erie
GE Transportation Cutting 1,100 Jobs
List of Shrinking Cities in the United States – Wikipedia
Hidden Erie: Watering trough reminder of another time
THIS EPISODE’S SPONSORS
Harry’s – Get started shaving with Harry’s today by claiming your Trial Set for £3.95
Squarespace – Free trial and 10% off your first order
SimpliSafe – Protect your home and your family today
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