Cop shot at gas station

[benoitbabe]

I can't remember his name but he was a cop who stopped at a gas station on his way to get ice cream for his family and was found shot by a rock in the field next to the gas station. police largely thought it was suicide. I did not buy that for a nano second. He was shot in the head kneeling over a rock for gosh sakes. Any updates on this and what the heck was his name? Thoughts?

[amandab1234]

His name was Michael O Mara

I believe he was killed & that it wasn't a suicide

[Cori aka ChrisSCrush]

Suspicious with marks of an inside job. http://www.ipsn.org/omara.php

[MegtheEgg86]

I also don't think it was a suicide or an accident, and I do think there's a possibility of police involvement.

Coincidentally, O'Mara isn't the only Cook County Sheriff's Police officer to have been featured on UM for a death under suspicious circumstances. Ralph Probst was a member of the same department, but was killed in 1967 (just over twenty years prior to O'Mara). I've always kind of wondered if they'd met one another.

[DanCart]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

I also don't think it was a suicide or an accident, and I do think there's a possibility of police involvement.

Coincidentally, O'Mara isn't the only Cook County Sheriff's Police officer to have been featured on UM for a death under suspicious circumstances. Ralph Probst was a member of the same department, but was killed in 1967 (just over twenty years prior to O'Mara). I've always kind of wondered if they'd met one another.

I agree, it would be stretching things to believe the suicide theory , the suicide thing doesnt quite add up ....on the subject of Cook county ,there have been loads of corrupt public and law enforcement officials in that area over many decades so I guess anything is possible ....

[TheCars1986]

There were several things left out of the UM segment. Based off of the UM segment, the suicide/accident scenario are extremely unlikely. But there was some evidence that O'Mara was facing financial strain prior to his death. He had a private security firm that was faltering, and IIRC some of his friends on the force said he was despondent after being transferred to a desk job.

[Necco]

It is possible and there is precedent for the possibility that Mike O'Mara set up his suicide to look like a death in the line of duty. There was a case in Connecticut 5 or 6 years ago where a police officer with personal issues set up an elaborate scenario for his suicide. There could be a number of reasons someone would do this, the two primary reasons being wanting to be perceived as a hero/not wanting the family to know it was suicide and survivor benefits. The family and heirs of a cop killed in the line of duty are entitled to a lot of financial benefits.

In the case I mentioned, it is likely the officer wanted his daughter to think he died a hero.


On the other hand, in the case I mentioned, it was handled very, very differently. There was an immediate manhunt. Even after it was evident that it was a suicide, the officer was buried with full departmental honors. The PD headquarters was draped in bunting. Scores of officers from all around lined up in uniform to honor him. Marines attended. A horse with backward boots was there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/ny...26norwalk.html
http://jesseneider.blogspot.com/2008...i-funeral.html
http://connpost.mycapture.com/mycapt...D=0&ShowTabs=1

Now, admittedly, attitudes in this country towards suicide, PTSD and mental illness changed a lot between the death of Officer O'Mara and the death of Officer from Connecticut, but it is rather curious how quickly O'Mara's department ruled it a suicide.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, I can see why either scenario is plausible.

[TheCars1986]

An article I found one time on Mike O'Mara (posted in another thread) goes into detail about how his insurance wouldn't pay out if he committed suicide, but it would have paid double or more if he was killed in the line of duty. I believe he killed himself and made it look like he was investigating something.

[benoitbabe]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

I also don't think it was a suicide or an accident, and I do think there's a possibility of police involvement.

Coincidentally, O'Mara isn't the only Cook County Sheriff's Police officer to have been featured on UM for a death under suspicious circumstances. Ralph Probst was a member of the same department, but was killed in 1967 (just over twenty years prior to O'Mara). I've always kind of wondered if they'd met one another.

Interesting, I did not realize they were from the same dept. Things that make you hmmm.

[LilMissKryssy]

I've read a lot of this case and I honestly read it with an open mind. I think the only logical conclusion is that he was murdered but whether it was a direct inside job or just an incredibly incompetent police investigation I'm not sure. However, when a police officer is found dead in the manner he was and where he was, there would never, in any competent and unbiased investigation, jump to the conclusion of suicide the same night the body was found. Its always treated like a murder scene until proven otherwise in the event it is a crime. This was a man who had a great reputation among the LE community so for them to just immediately rule it a suicide is highly suspicious. Given that he was in law enforcement and was highly respected, its even more troubling than normal how it was treated. Also, there are very large degrees of being :"despondent" and financial strains. It's very normal for a active guy to be bummed out when he's now stuck on a desk job if he enjoys the excitement of his prior job. I've seen it happen in my own family and its normal and does not mean someone is suicidal. That's pretty ridiculous. Second, I read no indication of serious financial problems as in going to lose their house, repossessions ect. Also, a lot of articles I read were pretty eye opening. I sincerely doubt this guy was that methodical in his "I'll try to make my suicide look like a murder" scheme that he even thought to ask his wife for extra cash to buy yogurt on his way home. People who try to make suicide look like murder for insurance purposes don't exactly fit Mike O'Mara's profile. He was apparently very "by the book" in his career and always stuck to protocol. With O'Mara being so incorruptible it seems pretty random to me that all of a sudden he would concoct a scheme kill himself to get insurance money. Lastly, he was a practicing catholic. (yes, I know anything is possible but it seems extremely unlikely.) The articles much more in detail and interviews with the family point to an inside job as one article stated O'Mara's widow was very hesitant of even doing UM because she was scared.

[LilMissKryssy]

Also, I work in insurance. Every life insurance policy I've ever seen will not pay for suicide. Many policies have double indemnity clauses for accidental or many public servants (police, military ect ) who puts their lives in the line will pay double in the line of duty. That's extremely common.

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by LilMissKryssy

Also, I work in insurance. Every life insurance policy I've ever seen will not pay for suicide. Many policies have double indemnity clauses for accidental or many public servants (police, military ect ) who puts their lives in the line will pay double in the line of duty. That's extremely common.

But the belief is he shot himself in an attempt to make it look like an accident or an in the line of duty death.

[Cori aka ChrisSCrush]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

But the belief is he shot himself in an attempt to make it look like an accident or an in the line of duty death.

So the survivors got nothing or next to nothing?

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by Cori aka ChrisSCrush

So the survivors got nothing or next to nothing?

It doubles the pay out if the death was accidental or homicide in the line of duty.

[LilMissKryssy]

Ok but what I was saying is that since almost every police/military personnel has a double indemnity clause for death in the line of duty and any life insurance policy I've ever seen excludes suicides, his insurance policy is not unique and extremely common. Most of them don't even read all the fine print and insurance terms on the policy (believe me I know) So, people saying "oh wow look he had a double indemnity clause" means nothing to me. I'd very much recommend reading up on articles on the case if anyone hasnt. It really convinced me he was murdered. The most shocking thing to me is how his fellow LE assumed and pronounced suicide within a few hours of finding him. That is extremely suspicious. The WAY he was found and WHERE he was found. Investigations, even at scenes where its obvious its a suicide, is treated as a crime scene at first in case it turns into a homicide. He had an impeccable reputation as always doing things by the book and being incorruptible. He had no dire financial situations (like his home being foreclosed, repossessions and nothing was about to happen like that). So, to say this man who had a long career always on the up and up, one day decided to try to deceive the insurance company and make it look like a homicide so his family would receive double the money, is extremely out of character (Yes anything is possible in this world but it seems extremely bizarre and unlikely). So then why would LE upon finding him in such a manner just assume its suicide that same night? Its bizarre and not the proper way an investigation should be conducted.