Netflix’s 2018 four-part documentary Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist chronicled the bizarre 2003 “pizza bomber” case where a pizza delivery man robbed a bank with a bomb locked around his neck.
The Crime
On August 28, 2003, Brian Wells robbed a PNC Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania with a cane-shaped shotgun and a bomb collar locked around his neck. He was apprehended by police, and the bomb detonated before it could be defused, killing him on live television.
The Mystery
Was Wells a willing participant or victim? The documentary explores:
- Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, a local woman with a history of violence
- A convoluted plot involving multiple conspirators
- A scavenger hunt Wells was forced to complete
- Questions about who knew what and when
Bizarre Details
The case featured:
- A frozen body kept in a freezer for years
- A love triangle involving murder
- Mental illness and manipulation
- One of the most complex criminal plots in modern history
Social Media Reaction
#EvilGenius viewers were captivated by:
- Diehl-Armstrong’s unhinged interviews
- The tragic fate of Brian Wells
- The complexity of the conspiracy
- Debates about who was truly the “evil genius”
Resolution
Diehl-Armstrong was convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to life plus 30 years. She died in prison in 2017, the year before the documentary aired.
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