Posted on 09/02/2003 11:44:52 AM PDT by weegee
(CBS/AP) The FBI on Tuesday released photos of a metal collar found around the neck of a pizza deliveryman who robbed a bank and then was killed when a bomb strapped to his body exploded.
FBI Agent Bob Rudge said the bureau hopes that by releasing the photos of the collar and locking device, someone may come forward to help law enforcement solve the strange case.
A preliminary exam performed on the collar showed that it was likely not commercially manufactured, Rudge said Tuesday.
"We do not believe it has any legitimate industrial use," said Rudge. "Its most likely purpose was specifically for attaching the device to the neck of the individual that went into the PNC Bank.
Arrested Thursday after a bank robbery, Brian Douglas Wells told authorities someone had forced him to rob the bank. He told officers a bomb was attached to him, but he died when it exploded before the bomb squad could get there.
At a news conference Tuesday, Rudge showed photographs of the triple-banded metal collar he said was around Wells' neck and a lock that kept it in place. The bomb was attached to the collar, authorities said.
Police had surrounded Wells, 46, a short time after he robbed a PNC Bank branch outside Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. Wells had gone to deliver a pizza to a mysterious address in a remote area about an hour before he turned up at the bank with the bomb strapped to his body.
When police stopped Wells, he told them about the bomb and asked why authorities weren't helping to get it off him. Police backed off and were waiting for the bomb squad when the bomb exploded. No one else was injured.
According to police and the FBI, Wells produced an "extensive" robbery note at the bank, which has been sent to handwriting experts. Rudge did not release any additional information about the note Tuesday.
I think there is a possibility of up to 80 percent that this individual is innocent," Professor Robert Heibel, a retired FBI agent, told CBS News Correspondent Mika Brzezinski.
Heibel said Wells likely was set up, a tactic more common to drug runners or terrorists than bank robbers.
"He was being threatened that if he didn't rob the bank, once they hung that device around his neck let's say, then he becomes their patsy," Heibel said. "There are a number of ways they could have convinced him that it is a live device and from there on he is really at their mercy."
Meanwhile, officials released information from an autopsy on one of Wells' co-workers, Robert Pinetti, 43, who was found dead Sunday at his home in nearby Lawrence Park Township. Authorities do not know if his death is connected with Wells' case.
Pinetti had a history of substance abuse and preliminary testing appeared to show methadone and "valium-type" drugs in his system, authorities said. There was no trauma, officials said.
focusing on three possible scenarios:If he acted alone, who placed the phone call?-Wells committed the act alone.
-Wells was a willing participant with others.
Phone records should be able to show who placed calls to the pizza place that day. Look 'em up.
We still don't know how it was detonated (Do we?).
Someone mentioned that he was a quiet bachelor and worked on his car alot...which may mean mechanical abilities.
Part of the device looks like it was "cut to fit" particularly around the tumbler locks.
The guy wanted to get on National TV.
Some interested party is watching somewhere.
And to think he gets paid for such a brilliant deduction...
I'm still waiting for them to publish a "full face" of this dude and whether he is appearing in their database. They must have tons of clear face shots before he bit the dust.
Why are they soooooo silent on this??
Keyed mechanical timer.
Since the explosive was located right up under the lock box, the only reason to thread the wires through the collar itself is to keep the device from being cut off with some sort of torch.
Where is the usual driver's license photo of the dead man?
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