The true story behind the Angelina O'Mara case on Snapped: Behind Bars

In the fall of 2011, a double homicide unfolded across two states when Angelina O'Mara shot and killed her husband, James O'Mara, in his Minnesota apartment and her boyfriend, Michael Pies, in a Wisconsin motel room just days apart. Both men died from single gunshot wounds to the head while resting, with pillows placed over their faces, leaving investigators to connect the seemingly unrelated deaths to one suspect. 

Arrested shortly after fleeing the scene, she confessed to the killings but offered conflicting accounts during questioning. Now, 14 years into her consecutive life sentences without parole, O'Mara breaks her silence in her first televised prison interview on Oxygen's Snapped: Behind Bars, season 3, episode 3. 

Taped in April 2025 at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Shakopee, the episode explores her claims of a mental health crisis amid addiction and relationship strain. Viewers can watch the episode on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET on Oxygen, or stream it later via the Oxygen app or Peacock.

Snapped: Behind Bars: Early life of Angelina O'Mara and marriage to James O'Mara

Angelina Luso grew up in a challenging home environment in Minnesota. She navigated a youth filled with personal hurdles before entering adulthood. In 1997, at age 24, she met James Kelly O'Mara, a steady maintenance worker from Minneapolis born in the early 1960s. 

James had a son, Sean, from a previous marriage that ended in divorce. Juliana, the couple's daughter, was born around 1999 after Angelina became pregnant.  They were married in March 2007 in Rice, Minnesota, where Angelina worked as a bartender and took care of the family while James's job gave them financial security, as per Oxygen.

The family settled into a routine, with James often helping neighbors and Juliana thriving as a young child. However, cracks appeared early in the marriage. Heavy drinking became a regular issue for both, leading to frequent arguments over finances, parenting, and personal habits. Angelina later described feeling overwhelmed by motherhood and marital pressures, compounded by her own unresolved family history. 

The relationship had further deteriorated by 2010, with emotional whiplash resulting from separations and reconciliations, according to Oxygen. Despite temporarily moving out, James remained dedicated to co-parenting with Juliana and was also looking for a bigger apartment so he could be with his daughter again. 

The affair and escalating tensions

In 2010, as her marriage was failing, Angelina resorted to online dating, where she met Michael Pies, a 36-year-old Blaine, Minnesota resident with a history of drug use and erratic behavior. Their mutual passion for partying and escaping from everyday stressors quickly ignited their relationship. Pies, who was described as aggressive and possessive, conflicted with Angelina's continued relationship with James, who continued to see Juliana. 

Early in 2011, Angelina became pregnant with Pies' daughter, Graceland, who was born in April. As a result, she officially separated from James. James moved to a small one-bedroom apartment in Sauk Rapids, where he struggled with heartbreak and concentrated on his career and fatherhood, as per Pioneer Press.  As Pies became envious of James's influence in Juliana's life, tensions erupted.

He warned James to stay away and even threatened to use violence in threatening messages and phone calls.  There were reports that Pies had physically confronted Angelina. The cycle was made worse by substance abuse, as the three of them drank alcohol and took painkillers during heated arguments. For Juliana's benefit, Angelina made an effort to make amends with James by the fall of 2011, but Pies' insecurity remained, igniting a volatile mixture of fear and resentment. 

Despite the drama, James' optimism was observed by his neighbors, who frequently greeted people warmly while he sought stability. Under increasing pressure, Angelina managed two households, her bartending shifts, and the care of a newborn.  Although no formal charges were brought, Pies' outbursts became more frequent and included accusations of assault on Angelina, as Oxygen reported.  

The double murders

The killings occurred in late October 2011; both executions were the same, with a .22-caliber rifle, showing no signs of struggle or theft. On October 29, Angelina and Pies checked into Room 12 of the Anderson Motel in Ashland, Wisconsin, after a road trip involving drugs like painkillers and muscle relaxers. Following an argument, possibly over Pies' jealousy, Angelina shot him once in the head as he slept, then hid his body behind the bed under blankets and a pillow.

His wallet and identification were not disturbed. The body, found on November 2 by employees of the motel, based on a foul odor, was decomposing and appeared to have died on October 30, according to Oxygen. Angelina then drove approximately 300 miles to Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, arriving at James' apartment late that evening or early the next morning. She had fast food and beer with her and let herself in through an unlocked door-as he slept on the couch.

She placed pillows over his face and shot him once in the head. The scene was tidy; no evidence of forced entry was found. James' body was discovered on November 1 by the apartment superintendent after reports of an odor; decomposition estimates put the time of death as being about October 31st. Meanwhile, Angelina headed south in her GMC SUV, leaving 12-year-old Juliana behind at the house and Graceland with a relative.

Family members, unable to reach her, notified police, who issued an all-points bulletin for her car. The similarities of the methods-headshots to sleeping victims with faces covered-quickly raised suspicions of a connection, though early investigations handled them as separate incidents. These events unfolded in the midst of O'Mara's reported disorientation, later tied to substance use, turning a personal crisis into a cross-state manhunt, as per the Star Tribune.

Arrest, confession, sentencing, and prison reflections

After Angelina left her SUV at a truck stop in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, authorities were able to link the cases through ballistics and witness tips. A truck driver reported her to board with the rifle and mentioning plans to travel to Seattle and Alaska. Pills bearing her name were discovered inside. She initially blamed biker gangs during questioning by Ashland and Benton County police, then claimed self-defense with Pies before acknowledging both shootings.

On November 15, she fully confessed, describing entering both sites uninvited but citing no clear motive, only emotional distress. The rifle was never recovered, according to the Star Tribune. Facing first-degree charges in Wisconsin for Pies and second-degree charges in Minnesota for James, O'Mara's defense sought to suppress her statements, alleging coercion, but failed. 

Influenced by her mother's recent death, she pleaded guilty in December 2012 to James' murder, receiving life without parole. In March 2013, she entered a no-contest plea for Pies, earning a concurrent life term, both served in Minnesota. Juliana and Graceland were placed with relatives; James' son Sean mourned publicly, as per CBS News.

Watch Snapped: Behind Bars season 3 available on Oxygen.