The Chilling Aftermath Of The Pizza Bomber: 5 Shocking Fates Of The Key Players

The "Pizza Bomber" case remains one of the most bizarre and psychologically complex crimes in modern American history. The August 28, 2003, incident in Erie, Pennsylvania, where pizza deliveryman Brian Wells was killed by an exploding collar bomb after robbing a PNC Bank, launched an investigation that would expose a twisted web of murder, mental illness, and conspiracy. The long-term aftermath of this tragic event, which continues to be discussed in true crime circles and updated in media as recently as early 2025, has focused on the shocking fates of the conspirators and the lingering questions about the victim's true role.

The story of the collar bomb heist gained renewed global attention with the Netflix docuseries *Evil Genius*, but the final chapters of the key players’ lives—which include deaths in prison and a mysterious freezer—are the true measure of the crime's lasting impact. The case has left a permanent scar on the Erie community and the Wells family, who continue to seek clarity and justice.

The Central Figures: A Complete Profile

The "Pizza Bomber" investigation centered on four primary individuals: the victim, Brian Wells, and the three main conspirators who orchestrated the plot.

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Brian Douglas Wells (The Victim)

• Born: November 15, 1956, in Warren, Pennsylvania, U.S.
• Died: August 28, 2003 (Age 46), in Erie, Pennsylvania.
• Occupation: Pizza deliveryman for Mama Mia's Pizza-Ria.
• Role in Case: The victim of the collar bomb plot. His family and some investigators believe he was an innocent man forced to participate in the bank robbery, while others suspect he was a co-conspirator who was double-crossed.

Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong (The Mastermind)

• Born: February 26, 1949.
• Died: April 4, 2017 (Age 68), in a federal prison hospital.
• Background: A highly intelligent former teacher with a history of mental illness (bipolar disorder) and a reputation for violence.
• Role in Case: Convicted as the mastermind and primary planner of the collar bomb bank heist. She was also charged in the murder of her boyfriend, James "Jim" Roden, whose body was found in a freezer.

Kenneth "Ken" Barnes (The Co-Conspirator)

• Born: c. 1951.
• Died: In prison (Date unconfirmed, but after 2017).
• Role in Case: A key co-conspirator who pleaded guilty and testified against Diehl-Armstrong. He was "intimately involved" in the planning and execution of the plot, including the building of the bomb device.

William "Bill" Rothstein (The Unindicted Co-Conspirator)

• Born: c. 1945.
• Died: July 30, 2004 (Age 59), from cancer.
• Role in Case: A crucial figure who housed the body of Jim Roden in a freezer on his property. He cooperated with the FBI, claiming to have been forced by Diehl-Armstrong to hide the body, and died before he could be charged in the Wells case.

The Shocking Fates of the Conspirators

The legal and personal aftermath of the Pizza Bomber case saw each of the conspirators meet a definitive, and in many ways, tragic end. The investigation into the bizarre crime lasted for years, culminating in federal charges for two of the primary planners.

1. Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong: Death Behind Bars

Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was the last conspirator to be brought to justice. She was convicted in 2010 for her role in the plot and sentenced to life in federal prison plus 30 years. Her conviction solidified her reputation as a "coldly calculated criminal recidivist and serial killer," a description given by one judge. Diehl-Armstrong never served her full sentence. She died of breast cancer in 2017 at the Federal Medical Center, Carswell, in Fort Worth, Texas, effectively ending the chance of any further confessions or revelations from the alleged mastermind.

2. Kenneth Barnes: The Second Death in Federal Custody

Kenneth Barnes, who ran a crack house and was a key player in the bomb's construction, was the first co-conspirator to be convicted. He pleaded guilty in 2008 and was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison. His testimony was instrumental in securing the conviction of Diehl-Armstrong. In a final twist of the aftermath, Barnes also died while incarcerated, meaning both convicted co-plotters in the Erie case met the same fate behind bars.

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3. William Rothstein: The Freezer, Cancer, and a Missing Link

William Rothstein's death in 2004 from cancer was a significant blow to the investigation. Rothstein was the man who called the police to report a body—Jim Roden—in a freezer at his home, a body which Diehl-Armstrong was later charged with murdering. Rothstein was an unindicted co-conspirator in the Wells case, and his cooperation with the FBI was key. His death meant that a crucial witness and potential source of information about the bomb's origin and the plot's inner workings was permanently silenced, leaving many questions unresolved.

The Lingering Questions and Lasting Legacy

The aftermath of the Pizza Bomber case extends beyond the sentencing and deaths of the conspirators; it lies in the psychological complexity of the crime and its profound cultural impact.

4. The Unresolved Role of Brian Wells

The central question that continues to fuel public curiosity is whether Brian Wells was a forced victim or a willing participant who was betrayed. His family has consistently maintained that he was coerced into the robbery by the conspirators. The elaborate, scavenger-hunt-like instructions Wells was forced to follow suggested a complicated plot designed to fail, leading many to believe he was a pawn in a larger, diabolical game orchestrated by Diehl-Armstrong. The case's complexity ensures that the debate over Wells' innocence or guilt will likely never be fully settled.

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5. The Media and True Crime Phenomenon

The "Collar Bomb Case" has become a benchmark in true crime history. The sheer strangeness of the details—the pizza delivery, the homemade bomb, the multiple murders, the freezer body, and the eccentric mastermind—made it a media sensation from the start. The 2018 Netflix series *Evil Genius* cemented the case's legacy, introducing the story to a new generation and ensuring that the events of August 28, 2003, and the subsequent investigation remain a subject of intense topical authority and public fascination well into the current decade.