Rob a Bank, Fake a Bomber: Tampa Woman’s Plot Fails

A Tampa woman named Maria Montesino thought of all the things she could do, she was going to rob a bank. Not just any bank though, Grow Financial Federal Credit Union. I guess she had bills to pay ASAP or something. According to WFLA, at about 2:30 in the afternoon during broad daylight she walks into the bank and tells the teller to cough up the cash. But here’s the thing, she said that some dude outside was telling her what to do, and this dude had a BOMB. And apparently, it was about to go off if she didn't get that money.

Now, the teller wasn’t trying to test that theory, so they hand her the cash and off she goes, thinking she pulled off some genius heist. But, you know how the cops roll—Tampa PD wasn’t playing around. They connected the dots faster than a two-year-old with a crayon and found her hiding out in some apartment complex nearby. Arrested her just like that.

Here’s where it gets really ridiculous though: Turns out, there wasn’t any man with a bomb! The whole “man outside with a bomb” thing? Fake story for her to rob a bank. TPD couldn't find a shred of proof that anybody else was involved. Maria was flying solo on this one.

So now, she’s got charges like robbery and making bomb threats, which, spoiler alert, if you try and rob a bank, it's a pretty big no-no. Safe to say, it didn’t go how she probably imagined.

Look, if you’re thinking you're about to rob a bank, maybe don’t. And if you're going to, at least have a better plan than blaming an imaginary person.

I spent the weekend doing some viewing of some new series' about the mob and murder and here are 3 true crime docuseries to watch right now.

I've long been a fan of true crime. And not only true crime, but any shows about crime whether it be serial killers, heists, murders, etc. It's just fascinating to me. As the weather has gotten a little chillier here in Fort Myers, I hunkered down this weekend and caught up on some new series that have been released over the last month. Americans seem to have an obsession with true crime that has really taken off over the last few years. From binge-watching documentaries and reading books to listening to podcasts and dissecting cold cases. There are so many different ways to consume this genre. For me, and I feel like I'm not alone, I find the look into the minds of not only the criminals and those who work to bring them to justice so interesting.

I try to watch a little bit of everything when it comes to true crime. And from different parts of the country. There's also some really great international crime series you can stream. This weekend I was all over the board. A little bit of the mob, a little love gone wrong and an exorcism. All 3 are great and I definitely recommend if you enjoy true crime that you check them out!

Get Gotti was just released to Netflix on October 24. I've been really into mob shows and movies lately. Organized crime is a crazy world and this docuseries is by the same people who did Fear City. It dives into the FBI's investigation to bring down mob boss John Gotti and shows not only the FBI's side, but also some of the people who were on the inside.

The Devil on Trial came out October 17 on Netflix. This story is especially creepy because it deals with a murder done at the hands of someone possessed by the devil. In fact, this case is the only time that "demonic possession” has been used as a defense in murder trial in America. The sound effects gave me chills. I will say the reenactments are a little cheesy, BUT this is the story that inspired The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.

Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering Vs. Haysom was released on Netflix November 1. This series dives into the Haysom murders that occured back in 1985. It gives a look into the love obsessed Jens Soring and Elizabeth Haysom, the murders of Elizabeth's parents and the twisted tales they told.