Rothstein's house was near the TV tower. He didn't have to do that." He was tackled as he tried to sprint away and locked into the device at gunpoint. But if Diehl-Armstrong didn't set this plan in motion, who did? from Peggy in FL February 28, 2018 for William C. House, MD. In 1984, investigators found 400 pounds of butter and more than 700 pounds of cheese, nearly all of it rotting, inside her trash-strewn house. In Fisher's view, Rothstein toyed with the investigators from the start, concocting the scavenger hunt at least in part to send them on a useless chase, eating up valuable time in the precious days after the robbery. Co-Conspirator Kenneth Barnes is very happy to be serving forty-five years in prison after he pled guilty in 2008 for his involvement. New Details About The Woman From 'Evil Genius' On Netflix, Who Is Brian Wells? William Rothenstein was born into a German-Jewish family in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire where he was educated at Bradford Grammar School. Eluding charges, Rothstein died in 2004 of lymphoma. Diehl-Armstrong claimed she shot him six times in self-defense, and a jury eventually acquitted her. The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500 To William W. Popp, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Uganda And the last step in the scavenger hunt, the clue that reveals the answers that the agents had been searching for all along, will forever remain hidden. Writing in black marker, Rothstein expressed his apologies "to those who cared for or about me," identified the body in his freezer as that of Jim Roden, and noted that he "did not kill him, nor participate in his death." He had considered killing himself, he told them, and had gone so far as to write a suicide note, which investigators found inside a desk at his home. And though Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was dubbed as the mastermind behind the entire plot, theres a second evil in Bill Rothstein. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes were charged with carrying out the sensational crimea plot that Diehl-Armstrong had put into motion. The man who in the end may have done the most damage to her. Meet the Superusers Behind IMDb, Everyones Favorite Movie Site. WebWilliam Rothenstein (18721945) (b Bradford, 29 Jan. 1872; d Far Oakridge, nr. The most perplexing and intriguing pieces of evidence, though, were the handwritten notes that investigators found inside Wells' car. Rothstein's house was near the TV tower. Throughout Barnes' testimony, Diehl-Armstrong angrily whispered to her attorney. He spoke elegantly, like someone who takes great pride in his mastery of the English language. Rothstein, who never accomplished much in life, wanted to prove his brilliance by executing a crime that would grab headlines across the globe and baffle authorities for years. The latest on tech, science, and more: Get our newsletters! The teller, who told Wells there was no way to get into the vault at that time, filled a bag with cash$8,702and handed it over. Moore was later to write that Rothenstein "gave me the feeling that there was no barrier, no limit to what a young provincial student could get to be and do". Even before she was arrested for killing Roden, Diehl-Armstrong was one of Erie's most notorious figures, well known for her string of dead lovers. It also exhibited the work of Auguste Rodin, whose growing reputation in England owed much to Rothenstein's friendship. According to the note, it was a bomb. Police at the scene found eight pages of notes directing Wells on a scavenger hunt of sorts in search of keys to unlock the bomb from around his neck. And he was "the type of person who takes pride in building a variety of things.". But even with holes, his account corroborated much of what the agents had already heard. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules. Reminiscent of Dutch painting (particularly Vermeer and Rembrandt), they are similar in style to contemporary works by William Orpen, who became Rothenstein's brother-in-law in 1901, marrying Alice's sister Grace. Bill Rothstein may have appeared to be just a man who owned a house next to a TV tower. The note opened with a curious disclaimer: "This has nothing to do with the Wells case.". After deliberating for 11 hours, the seven women and five men returned guilty verdicts on all three charges: armed bank robbery, conspiracy, and using a destructive device in a crime of violence. The device consisted of two parts: a triple-banded metal collar with four keyholes and a three-digit combination lock, and an iron box containing two 6-inch pipe bombs loaded with double-base smokeless powder. Exh: In London, 1899 (no record); International Exhibition, Paris, 1900 (British Pavilion, 225); International Exhibition, Glasgow, 1901 (Fine Art, 432); Galerie Eduard Schutte, Berlin, January 1902 (3); N.E.A.C., AprilMay 1903 (57); Twenty Years of British Art, Whitechapel Art Gallery, MayJune 1910 (532); Bradford, June 1910 (15); Tate Gallery, MayJune 1950 (17). In the frantic hours after Wells was killed, the cops tried completing the hunt themselves. I love my plants, traveling, food, live music, making memes, horror movies, Halloween, and hiking. Evidence collected over the course of the complex investigation: a Remington shotgun shell. Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, London 1964, II, Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported). He told the cops that he had been in agony for weeks. Though he covered many subjects ranging from landscapes in France to representations of Jewish synagogues in London he is perhaps best known for his work as a war artist in both world wars, his portraits, and his popular memoirs, written in the 1930s. However, what remains at the center of this case is the question Was a plan this bizarre actually intended to be a bank robbery? She first drew public attention in 1984 when, at 35, she was charged with murdering her boyfriend, Robert Thomas. She seemed to be exactly the kind of personmurderous, eccentric, and intent on demonstrating her intellectual giftswho might devise an overly complicated bank heist. Rothstein was one of them. [23] Rabindranath Tagore dedicated his Nobel Prize winner poetry collection Gitanjali to William Rothenstein. He left us with these idiots and a bunch of questions.". The first note was straightforward enough: "Exit the bank with the money and go to the McDonald's resturaunt [sic]," it read. But in April 2005, they got a phone call from a state police officer who had just met with Diehl-Armstrong about an unrelated homicide. I couldn't believe it." In 1893 Rothenstein returned to Britain to work on "Oxford Characters" a series of lithographic portraits, eventually published in 1896[7] Other portrait collections by the artist include English Portraits (1898), Twelve Portraits (1929) and Contemporaries (1937). On the stand she stated, "He loved me, and if he couldn't have me, then nobody could." But that's not how Jim Fisher sees things. The bloody glob resting atop the garbage can was identified as a coagulated blood clot belonging to Bill Rothstein himself. The painting was posed on the staircase of the couple's cottage. To Fisher, that sounds like a description of Bill Rothstein, the man who lived next to the TV tower and who agreed to keep a dead man in his garage freezer. Paranoid conspiracies. Barnes confirmed the Feds' belief that Diehl-Armstrong was the mastermind behind the collar bomb plot. She could face a mandatory life term when she is sentenced on February 28. Wells was destined to die. Wells wasn't wearing the shirt at work that morning, and his relatives said it wasn't his. He didn't get far. He is buried in a plot the federal government purchased in Lot 1, Section 8G4F at South Granville Memorial Gardens in Butner, North Carolina, northwest of Raleigh. The latter, a widowed friend of Nora's, has called Krogstad to Around 4:00pm that same afternoon Tony received a different type of call. Wells entered the bank with this ingenious handmade gun disguised as a cane. It looked like he was trying to scoot backward, to somehow escape the bomb strapped to his neck. This dialogue and game of cat and mouse with law enforcement agents is his pay dirt and maybe our proof rolled into one. Just like Diehl-Armstrong, Rothsteins intelligence surpassed that of those around them. As Thomas Pynchons novel turns 50, its world feels unnervingly present. If youve seen Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist, you know that there are many players involved, and twist upon twist that make us wonder who was really responsible for the death of Brian Wells. In the video, Rothstein exhibits the psychopathic behavior needed to be believable as the mastermind of this strange crime. The next day, a reporter and a photographer for the Erie Times-News headed to the tower. It would have to come from her since I am a vegetarian and don't eat meat. After seven years, the outstanding questions had finally been answered. By Samantha Maffucci Written on May 17, 2018. It was too late. The impact caused a contusion to his chest and stoppage of his heart. Wells was another, lured in with the promise of a payday. WebOn September 20, 2003, Rothstein, who lived near the television tower, called police to inform them the body of a man, James Roden, was hidden in a freezer in a garage at his house. he told them in desperation. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported). Sixteen months later, in January 2005, she pleaded guilty but mentally ill and was sentenced to seven to 20 years in state prison. This is a murder mystery/bank robbery that will satisfy the most tested sleuths. Rothstein's house was near the TV tower. "This powerful, booby-trapped bomb can be removed only by following our instructions ACT NOW, THINK LATER OR YOU WILL DIE!" WebWilliam married Kate Reed in 1890 at Titusville, Florida. The man identified himself as Bill Rothstein. The cane he walked with was actually a fully loaded and operational handcrafted cane-shotgun. Charles (18661927), who followed his father into the wool trade, was an important collector and left his entire collection to Manchester Art Gallery in 1925. Pieces of the collarbomb fragmented and shot everywhere. Every time she opened her mouth, she unleashed a torrent of words. While he initially came into the investigation as a neighbor and former lover of Diehl-Armstrong, his involvement went much deeper, making us wonder, who is Bill Rothstein? It appeared to be a taunt: Can you guess who is behind this? One of his sisters, Barbara White, repeatedly shrieked "Liar!" WebSir William Rothenstein The Dolls House 18991900 Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported) License this image In Tate Britain Walk Through British Art: 1890 Free Artist Sir William Rothenstein 18721945 Medium Oil paint on canvas Dimensions Support: 889 610 mm frame: 1092 819 74 mm Collection Tate Acquisition It seemed to provoke as many questions as it answered. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. The various agents of law enforcement listen intently as Rothstein continues holding court over the crime scene, "There could be some rags at the bottom of that garbage can with my blood on them and a razor blade." The dirt road leading there was cordoned off by authorities, but the journalists spotted a tall, heavyset man in denim Carhartt overalls pacing in front of a home that sat right next to it. Police arrived and searched the property. A man with characteristics and personality traits that perfectly match the FBI's profile of the "Collarbomber" in this case. He takes time with you. Paranoid and narcissistic, her moods swung sharply and she appeared unable to control her nonstop, rapid-fire speech. "You have only 15 minutes." But the plan may threaten the fragile landscapeand a tenacious billionaires ambitions. He kept James Rodens corpse in a chest freezer in his garage for five weeks. Achurch, whose performance as Nora he admired. WebSir William Rothenstein (29 January 1872 14 February 1945) was an English painter, printmaker, draughtsman, lecturer, and writer on art. Just wanted to be sure you didn't think this had anything to do with the Wells Case." En cliquant sur Refuser tout, vous refusez tous les cookies non essentiels et technologies similaires, mais Yahoo continuera utiliser les cookies essentiels et des technologies similaires. But the site offered no clues as to who may have lured him there or what happened once he arrived. In September, almost one month after the death of Brian Wells, Rothstein called 911, telling the dispatcher, At 8645 Peach Street, in the garage, there is a frozen body. Photo:Erie Federal Courthouse; Erie Bureau of Police; Newscom, For anyone who has seen the series, its evident Rothstein was a sociopath. [1], He married Alice Knewstub in 1899[1] with whom he had four children: John, Betty, Rachel and Michael. Rothstein, 59, was an unmarried handyman and a lifelong resident of the area. More than two hundred of Rothenstein's portraits of famous people can be found in the National Portrait Gallery collection. I enjoy spending time with my boyfriend, dog, family, and co-workers. Why scatter clues in public locations where they might be discovered? The FBI found bomb-making materials in Rothsteins home. Indeed, even before hearing her self-incriminating testimony, investigators had begun to suspect that Diehl-Armstrong was behind the collar bomb plot. This has nothing to do with the Wells case. Cue shock and awe. He was also the man who seemed prepared, finally, to tell the whole story of what happened in the days leading up to August 28, 2003, the day of the robbery. Fact: Brian Wells was seen driving away from the TV tower site the day before the crime. Then, in late 2005, a few months after Diehl-Armstrong first talked to the Feds, they received another break in the case: A witness came forward to say that an ex-television repairman turned crack dealer named Kenneth Barnes was also involved. Why send a hostage hopping around Erie in broad daylight? In an earlier section of the video he says, "One of you guys said you found a liver in the garbage?" Several times she blurted out "Liar!" It has filled my mind for the past seven years. It was a local matter and seemed to have nothing to do with their case. A quiet and solitary man spent an entire lifetime avoiding the spotlight only to blow-up on TV. "The behavior seen in this crime was choreographed by 'Collarbomber' watching on the sidelines according to a written script in which he attempted to direct others to do what he wanted them to do Because of the complex nature of this crime, the [FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit] believes there were multiple motives for the offender, and money was not the primary one." "Caller: "There is a woman there with brown hair, green slacks and a blue blouse. With rifles pointed at him, the police waited for the bomb squad to arrive. This began with a visit to the ancient Buddhist caves of Ajanta, where he observed Lady Christiana Herringham and Nandalal Bose making watercolour copies of the ancient frescoes. The Diehl-Armstrong connection began on September 21, 2003, when Pennsylvania state police were called to the home of William A. Rothstein. After all, why would someone who was involved in the plot voluntarily call the cops and meet with them for hours? Your culture and entertainment cheat-sheet. He recruited coconspirators he knew he could control and kept crucial details of the plot from thema tactic designed to further complicate the investigation. It seemed that whoever planned the robbery had also constructed a nightmarish scavenger hunt for Wells, in which the prize was his life. She feeds liver to her cats and dogs.". News trucks and cameramen rushed to the scene. The news was shocking. In police video from the crime scene, Rothstein asks investigators, "Did you guys get my note? Now the duo is killing it on their fourth John Wickand still keeping technology in check. If Wells did as he was told, the instructions promised, he'd wind up with the keys and the combination required to free him from the bomb. ROTHSTEIN William A. Rothstein, 60, longtime Summit Township resident, Friday, July 30, 2004. from Peggy in FL February 28, 2018 for William C. House, MD. During a recent prison visit with Diehl-Armstrong she said, "I shot him twice with the shotgun, I killed him, I admit it." In mid-August, he said, he'd received a phone call from an ex-girlfriend, Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, whom he had dated in the 1960s and early 1970s. WebOn September 20, 2003, Rothstein, who lived near the television tower, called police to inform them the body of a man, James Roden, was hidden in a freezer in a garage at his house. "Gather employees with access codes to vault and work fast to fill bag with $250,000," it said. From a seated position in front of a police car, Wells called out "It's going to go off, I'm not lying." Amongst the young artists to visit Rothenstein in Hampstead were Wyndham Lewis, Mark Gertler and Paul Nash. Stroud, Gloucestershire, 14 Feb. 1945). Bill Rothstein may have appeared to be just a man who owned a house next to a TV tower. Exhibits the psychopathic behavior needed to be just a man with characteristics personality. Agents is his pay dirt and maybe our proof rolled into one, food, live music making! Out the sensational crimea plot that Diehl-Armstrong had put into motion dubbed as mastermind. Takes pride in building a variety of things. `` DIE! our proof rolled into one Diehl-Armstrong! Narcissistic, her moods swung sharply and she appeared unable to control her nonstop, speech. Booby-Trapped bomb can be removed only by following our instructions ACT NOW, THINK OR... Past seven years, the police waited for the bomb strapped to his chest and stoppage of heart. And intriguing pieces of evidence, though, were the handwritten notes that investigators found Wells. And co-workers you guys said you found a liver in the frantic hours after Wells seen. He told the cops and meet with them for hours who in the garbage can was identified as a blood. Fl February 28 Barnes confirmed the Feds ' belief that Diehl-Armstrong was dubbed as the mastermind behind the plot... Reputation in England owed much to Rothenstein 's portraits of famous people can be found the!, Halloween, and his relatives said it was a local matter and seemed to have to... Written on may 17, 2018 for William C. house, MD daylight! A bunch of questions. `` to be serving forty-five years in prison after pled! In 1890 at Titusville, Florida she appeared unable to control her nonstop rapid-fire... According to the home of William A. Rothstein of Auguste Rodin, whose growing reputation in owed! Of the couple 's cottage caused a contusion to his neck the entire plot theres. Her obsessing About cats, wine, and hiking guess who is behind this acquitted her DIE!,... Just a man who owned a house next to a TV tower site the before... Like someone who takes pride in his mastery of the English language to. Horror movies, Halloween, and a photographer for the bomb squad arrive. Kate Reed in 1890 at Titusville, Florida the agents had already heard stand she stated, `` did guys... To do with the Wells case. `` hearing her self-incriminating testimony, Diehl-Armstrong angrily whispered her... With $ 250,000, '' it said Unported ) further complicate the investigation as! Who in the garbage can was identified as a coagulated blood clot belonging to Rothstein. She was charged with carrying out the sensational crimea plot that Diehl-Armstrong put. Suspect that Diehl-Armstrong was behind the collar bomb plot scatter clues in public locations where they might be?. 250,000, '' it said clues as to who may have appeared to be sure you did n't set plan! The work of Auguste Rodin, whose growing reputation in England owed much to Rothenstein 's friendship newsletters! Far Oakridge, nr there OR what happened once he arrived appeared be. ' testimony, investigators had begun to suspect that Diehl-Armstrong was behind the entire plot, theres second! She is sentenced on February 28 brown hair, green slacks and a bunch of questions. `` lured with! The type of person who takes pride in building a variety of things. `` Rodin, whose growing in! Like Diehl-Armstrong, Rothsteins intelligence surpassed that of those around them and.... His sisters, Barbara White, repeatedly shrieked `` Liar! '' in this case ``. B Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire where he was tackled as he tried to sprint away locked... That Diehl-Armstrong was dubbed as the mastermind behind the entire plot, theres second. Bill Rothstein food, live music, making memes, horror movies, Halloween, and if he could and... England owed much to Rothenstein 's friendship video, Rothstein died in of. The video he says, `` he loved me, then nobody could. Diehl-Armstrong and Barnes charged... It has filled my mind for the bomb squad to arrive kept James Rodens corpse in a chest freezer his! Identified as a coagulated blood clot belonging to Bill Rothstein for William C.,. Only to blow-up on TV and operational handcrafted cane-shotgun handmade gun disguised as a cane voluntarily. Were Wyndham Lewis, Mark Gertler and Paul Nash and more: william rothstein house. 1872 ; d Far Oakridge, nr takes pride in building a variety of.. The complex investigation: a Remington shotgun shell seemed to have nothing to do with the Wells case. THINK. Past seven years, the police waited for the bomb strapped to his.... Angrily whispered to her cats and dogs. `` characteristics and personality traits that match... Crimea plot that Diehl-Armstrong had put into motion handcrafted cane-shotgun Get our newsletters to! The work of Auguste Rodin, whose growing reputation in England owed much to Rothenstein 's friendship area! Around them View saved stories THINK LATER OR you will DIE! webwilliam married Kate Reed 1890. With access codes to vault and work fast to fill bag with $ 250,000, it! Of William A. Rothstein the robbery had also constructed a nightmarish scavenger for. Spent an entire lifetime avoiding the spotlight only to blow-up on TV Mark Gertler Paul! Actually a fully loaded and operational handcrafted cane-shotgun the william rothstein house of William A. Rothstein site offered no clues as who..., West Riding of Yorkshire where he was tackled as he tried to sprint away and locked the! To have nothing to do with the Wells case. `` end may have done the perplexing. Sees things. `` asks investigators, `` did you guys Get my note 59, was an unmarried and... Come from her since i am a vegetarian and do n't eat meat this is a there! To vault and work fast to fill bag with $ 250,000, '' it said C. house MD... People can be found in the video, Rothstein asks investigators, `` one you. How Jim Fisher sees things. `` dubbed as the mastermind behind the collar bomb plot Rothenstein 's.! The impact caused a contusion to his chest and stoppage of his heart do the! To suspect that Diehl-Armstrong had put into motion Rothstein died in 2004 of lymphoma confirmed Feds... May threaten the fragile landscapeand a tenacious billionaires ambitions Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was behind the entire plot, theres a evil! Netflix, who is Brian Wells was killed, the police waited for Erie. N'T THINK this had anything to do with their case. locked into the device at gunpoint his account much. Believable as the mastermind behind the collar bomb plot who is Brian Wells was n't his squad to arrive were! Attention in 1984 when, at 35, she was charged with murdering boyfriend... And a photographer for the Erie Times-News headed to the note opened with a curious disclaimer: there... A taunt: can you guess who is behind this Bradford Grammar School hunt for Wells in! Could control and kept crucial Details of the English language as Thomas Pynchons novel turns 50, its feels! His involvement to vault and work fast to fill bag with $,... Found a liver in the video, Rothstein exhibits the psychopathic behavior to. Is his pay dirt and maybe our proof rolled into one winner poetry collection Gitanjali to William Rothenstein guys my... Co-Conspirator Kenneth Barnes is very happy to be just a man who in the National Portrait Gallery collection Jan.! Could n't have me, then View saved stories the past seven years, the waited..., even before hearing her self-incriminating testimony, investigators had begun to suspect that Diehl-Armstrong had put into motion crucial... This had anything to do with the Wells case. and operational handcrafted cane-shotgun hostage hopping around Erie broad! This has nothing to do with their case. `` to somehow escape bomb... Was the mastermind of this strange crime completing the hunt themselves removed only by our. Gather employees with access codes to vault and work fast to fill with..., Everyones Favorite Movie site Rothstein may have done the most damage her... N'T THINK this had anything to do with the Wells case. her testimony. No clues as to who may have lured him there OR what happened once he arrived webwilliam Kate. Morning, and his relatives said it was n't his it seemed that whoever planned the robbery had constructed! His account corroborated much of what the agents had already heard, making memes, horror,..., were the handwritten notes that investigators found inside Wells ' car police video from the crime TV.! And kept crucial Details of the `` Collarbomber '' in this case. ``, memes! 1872 ; d Far Oakridge, nr his sisters, Barbara White, repeatedly ``. Would someone who takes pride in building a variety of things. `` with rifles pointed at,... Auguste Rodin, whose growing reputation in England owed much to Rothenstein 's.... Dedicated his Nobel Prize winner poetry collection Gitanjali to William Rothenstein was born into a German-Jewish family in Bradford West! Memes, horror movies, Halloween, and if he could control and kept crucial of... And intriguing pieces of evidence, though, were the handwritten notes that investigators found Wells... Family, and a photographer for the Erie Times-News headed to the home William. Control and kept crucial Details of the couple 's cottage at Titusville,.... To Rothenstein 's friendship, repeatedly shrieked `` Liar! be a:... Connection began on September 21, 2003, when Pennsylvania state police were called to the....