Ep 1. The Sopranos

CopyCat Killers is a crime documentary series that examines real-life crimes that were inspired by books, movies, or TV shows. Season 4, Episode 1, The Sopranos, looks at the infamous murder of a 29-year-old pizza delivery man named Brian Douglas Wells, who was killed in August of 2003. The case was widely publicized and became known as the "Pizza Bomber" case, due to the unique circumstances surrounding the murder.

The episode begins by providing background information on Brian Wells, a friendly and well-liked man who worked at a local pizzeria in Erie, Pennsylvania. One day, Brian received a call to deliver a pizza to an address on a quiet cul-de-sac. When he arrived, he was accosted by a group of strangers who chained a bomb to his neck and gave him a set of instructions to follow before they would release him. Brian followed their instructions, but the bomb still went off, killing him instantly.

Investigators were initially puzzled by the case and began a massive search for the culprits behind the crime. However, it wasn't long before they began to piece together some of the details. They found out that Brian had been dragged into a twisted plot that was based on the hit TV show, The Sopranos.

The Sopranos was a popular mafia drama that aired from 1999 to 2007. It followed the life of Tony Soprano, a New Jersey-based mob boss who struggled to balance his criminal connections with his family life. The show was praised for its realistic portrayal of the mafia and its exploration of complex themes such as mental illness, addiction, and family dynamics.

However, for some individuals, the show's themes of violence and lawlessness were all too tempting to resist. A group of people in Erie, Pennsylvania, including Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, Bill Rothstein, and Kenneth Barnes, saw an opportunity to pull off a sensational crime that would make headlines across the country.

Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong was a former girlfriend of Bill Rothstein, and she had a history of mental illness. She had long been fascinated by the idea of committing a perfect crime, and when The Sopranos became popular, she saw a blueprint for how to do it. She recruited Rothstein and Barnes to help her carry out the plan, which involved using a fake pizza delivery order to lure a victim to a remote location, placing a bomb on their neck, and forcing them to rob a bank.

The trio spent months preparing for the crime, including building the bomb, creating a set of instructions for the victim, and scouting out potential locations for the robbery. They even tested the bomb on a live turkey to make sure it would work. In the end, they settled on Brian Wells as their victim, luring him to a location where they ambushed him and attached the bomb to his neck.

As the investigation into Brian's murder unfolded, law enforcement discovered the bizarre and twisted plot that had inspired it. The great irony, of course, was that The Sopranos was a work of fiction, and that the real-life crimes that it inspired were anything but glamorous. Instead, they were the acts of disturbed individuals who were seeking to gain notoriety and attention.

CopyCat Killers, Season 4, Episode 1, The Sopranos, is a harrowing look at the dark side of pop culture. The episode shows how even the most seemingly harmless movies and TV shows can have a devastating impact on some people, leading them down dangerous and destructive paths. It's a cautionary tale for anyone who has ever been tempted to emulate the actions of their favorite characters on the screen.