Online Series: Evil Genius (Netflix Original)

[Rodgerwilco]

Man, I really really really loved this special. My girlfriend and I are too young to remember when it was all the rage in the news, but old enough to remember hearing rumbles about it in the following years.

I thought it was an incredible piece of journalism by Trey. I won't be surprised if he wins some type of award for this piece, to be honest.

My GF and I have bounced around a lot of different theories as to what exactly was going on.

Spoiler: Theories with spoiler.

-The extent of Brian Wells' involvement was that he knew he was going to be involved at some point, but was not told the date that it was happening and was under the impression that the bomb was fake. We came to this conclusion from a few reasons.

1. Why would Wells wait to get paid for the delivered pizza if he knew he was about to go rob a bank?
2. Why would Wells be calm enough to take a lollipop at the bank and the way he spoke during the stand-off did not come across the way I'd expect someone to behave.
   
3. By pinning Wells as a true co-conspirator of the plot anyone involved can avoid a murder charge or the death penalty. (Mainly MDA and Rothstein). MDA was WAY too insistent that Wells was a co-conspirator

- The success of the bank robbery was not the primary objective. We believe that the main objective of the robbery was for Rothstein and MDA to play a game with law enforcement and show everyone just how smart they are. It may have started as a plot for robbery, but seemed to quickly morph into more of a cat-and-mouse game. Rothstein and MDA were incredibly smart and manipulative. If their goal was to successfully rob a bank they would have gone about it a different way, IMO.

- The 2nd Delivery driver was involved in a limited role, and OD'd accidentally after he either felt guilty for his involvment in Wells' death, was sad at the death of his friend, or willfully tried to kill himself because of this.

- The Erie State Police did a very very bad job of investigating this case. The black PSP guy who saw the blue van and never brought it up again during the investigation was ridiculous. I kinda chuckled when he kept saying the van "was never talked about again." like, dude YOU'RE the one who should have been talking about it! lol. The "Snitch Letters" that were not divulged was a big drop of the ball as well.

- I believe Hoopsick about getting Wells involved and what she said about MDA. I also believe the jail-house informants that talked about what MDA said. MDA is very egotistical and show-offy that it wouldn't surprise me if she ran her mouth in prison, expecting to easily discredit anyone who rats her out. What I did find odd was that the one woman claimed to have been taking notes on their conversation right in front of MDA. I can't imagine MDA would be okay with someone literally documenting her conversations in real-time.

- Rothstein died thinking he got away with everything and that he outsmarted everyone, which was a shame. If he had used his "powers" for good he could have been a brilliant mind and done some good things. MDA was so manipulative that she really just had him wrapped around his finger.

 

[EON]

This was really strange to watch as a native of Erie.

Great documentary though, very interesting and bizarre case.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Man, I really really really loved this special. My girlfriend and I are too young to remember when it was all the rage in the news, but old enough to remember hearing rumbles about it in the following years.

I thought it was an incredible piece of journalism by Trey. I won't be surprised if he wins some type of award for this piece, to be honest.

My GF and I have bounced around a lot of different theories as to what exactly was going on.

Spoiler: Theories with spoiler.

-The extent of Brian Wells' involvement was that he knew he was going to be involved at some point, but was not told the date that it was happening and was under the impression that the bomb was fake. We came to this conclusion from a few reasons.

1. Why would Wells wait to get paid for the delivered pizza if he knew he was about to go rob a bank?
2. Why would Wells be calm enough to take a lollipop at the bank and the way he spoke during the stand-off did not come across the way I'd expect someone to behave.
   
3. By pinning Wells as a true co-conspirator of the plot anyone involved can avoid a murder charge or the death penalty. (Mainly MDA and Rothstein). MDA was WAY too insistent that Wells was a co-conspirator

- The success of the bank robbery was not the primary objective. We believe that the main objective of the robbery was for Rothstein and MDA to play a game with law enforcement and show everyone just how smart they are. It may have started as a plot for robbery, but seemed to quickly morph into more of a cat-and-mouse game. Rothstein and MDA were incredibly smart and manipulative. If their goal was to successfully rob a bank they would have gone about it a different way, IMO.

- The 2nd Delivery driver was involved in a limited role, and OD'd accidentally after he either felt guilty for his involvment in Wells' death, was sad at the death of his friend, or willfully tried to kill himself because of this.

- The Erie State Police did a very very bad job of investigating this case. The black PSP guy who saw the blue van and never brought it up again during the investigation was ridiculous. I kinda chuckled when he kept saying the van "was never talked about again." like, dude YOU'RE the one who should have been talking about it! lol. The "Snitch Letters" that were not divulged was a big drop of the ball as well.

- I believe Hoopsick about getting Wells involved and what she said about MDA. I also believe the jail-house informants that talked about what MDA said. MDA is very egotistical and show-offy that it wouldn't surprise me if she ran her mouth in prison, expecting to easily discredit anyone who rats her out. What I did find odd was that the one woman claimed to have been taking notes on their conversation right in front of MDA. I can't imagine MDA would be okay with someone literally documenting her conversations in real-time.

- Rothstein died thinking he got away with everything and that he outsmarted everyone, which was a shame. If he had used his "powers" for good he could have been a brilliant mind and done some good things. MDA was so manipulative that she really just had him wrapped around his finger.

Rodger, I'm with u, I thought the documentary was well done, and suspensefully laid out..
But I think the film maker(s) overstated the conspirators real (& self perceived) intelligence, for dramatic reasons.
Didn't Rothstein commit the Wells abduction literally right next to his house (?) Seems like basic self-preservation, u would pick a lot that wouldn't bring investigating to your front door. And Rothstein's self-incriminating call about the frozen body was an inexplicably suicidal blow to their conspiracy. None of it struck me as intelligent. It seemed like a moronic Kamikaze mission on Rothstein's part (?)

Also kinda feel for the pizza co-worker. He died a tragic death, & has kinda been implicated by suggestion in the conspiracy. And there is zero evidence of his involvement (if I'm remembering right ?)
Peace.

 

[silverfish]

Also kinda feel for the pizza co-worker. He died a tragic death, & has kinda been implicated by suggestion in the conspiracy. And there is zero evidence of his involvement (if I'm remembering right ?)
Peace.

This is true. But we know he had a drug problem, and survivor's guilt is a hell of a thing. After Wells died, I'm sure there was nothing else he could think of. "What if I was working that shift? What if I picked up the phone?"

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Rodger, I'm with u, I thought the documentary was well done, and suspensefully laid out..
But I think the film maker(s) overstated the conspirators real (& self perceived) intelligence, for dramatic reasons.
Didn't Rothstein commit the Wells abduction literally right next to his house (?) Seems like basic self-preservation, u would pick a lot that wouldn't bring investigating to your front door. And Rothstein's self-incriminating call about the frozen body was an inexplicably suicidal blow to their conspiracy. None of it struck me as intelligent. It seemed like a moronic Kamikaze mission on Rothstein's part (?)

Also kinda feel for the pizza co-worker. He died a tragic death, & has kinda been implicated by suggestion in the conspiracy. And there is zero evidence of his involvement (if I'm remembering right ?)
Peace.

Spoiler

MDA and Rothstein were certainly very intelligent and manipulative people. I think that Rothstein was somewhat exaggerated, but I really believe that MDA was every bit as cunning and manipulative as she was made out to be.

Aside from MDA and Rothstein none of the other folks involved seemed to be very intelligent.

I really think Rothstein believed he could outsmart the police and MDA. If he flopped on her first he might catch a small charge, but she'd have gone down for the rest of it. Honestly, he was probably scared of her, too and didn't want to wind up like her first 5 love interests. lol.


I do agree about the 2nd pizza guy. I don't see what the point of them mentioning his involvement would be if he wasn't actually involved. I wonder if maybe he could have been considered for Wells' position, or may have known something about the plot without actually be involved.

 

[Babe Ruth]

MDA and Rothstein were certainly very intelligent..

Rodger, I looked at it like this.. Neither MDA or Rothstein were especially accomplished in life.. Their crime was an utter failure, & caused unnecessary casualties, their plot was exposed after an unsolicited, self-incriminating confession from Rothstein (his report of the frozen corpse).. they committed their crime (literally) in a neighboring lot. None of this demonstrated genius to me..
But I believe/understand why their cunning was overstated.. Evil Genius is a more intriguing title than 'Greedy Slobs'..
The whole thing seemed more sad & sadistic to me, than ingenious.

 

[kook10]

Rodger, I looked at it like this.. Neither MDA or Rothstein were especially accomplished in life.. Their crime was an utter failure, & caused unnecessary casualties, their plot was exposed after an unsolicited, self-incriminating confession from Rothstein (his report of the frozen corpse).. they committed their crime (literally) in a neighboring lot. None of this demonstrated genius to me..
But I believe/understand why their cunning was overstated.. Evil Genius is a more intriguing title than 'Greedy Slobs'..
The whole thing seemed more sad & sadistic to me, than ingenious.

...and if they were so smart they would have realized there was never a chance of them getting an amount anywhere near $250k. My gut tells me there was more crack involved in the story.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

...and if they were so smart they would have realized there was never a chance of them getting an amount anywhere near $250k. My gut tells me there was more crack involved in the story.

Excuse me, have you ever had crack from Erie???

 

[kook10]

Excuse me, have you ever had crack from Erie???

Not since breakfast.

 

[cneely]

The film maker went on and on about how smart these people were. I never got that impression at all. Idiot white trash.
How did they ever think they could collect the money? The police wouldn't follow the pizza man to the drop? Idiots.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Not since breakfast.

I'll be there tomorrow til Sunday. I'll pick some up for you.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

...and if they were so smart they would have realized there was never a chance of them getting an amount anywhere near $250k. My gut tells me there was more crack involved in the story.

This is what makes me think that the money from the bank robbery wasn't their main goal. I feel like they were intelligent enough people that if they wanted to make money from robbing the bank they would have gone about it in a different way.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

The film maker went on and on about how smart these people were. I never got that impression at all. Idiot white trash.
How did they ever think they could collect the money? The police wouldn't follow the pizza man to the drop? Idiots.

This is what makes me think that the money wasn't particularly their primary goal.

 

[WolfgangPuck]

Just watched on Netflix last night and felt really awful for the victim Wells.
I am sadden justice wasn’t served for Wells
There was a lot of unanswered questions that police and FBI might have been able to uncover before the perpetrators died.