5 chilling details about Gina Spann case as shown in Snapped

The Gina Spann case, the subject of a recent installment of the crime reality show Snapped, reveals a 1997 murder conspiracy in Augusta, Georgia. The victim was Kevin Spann, a 35-year-old U.S. Army staff sergeant and veteran of the Persian Gulf War. He was shot to death inside his home on Mother's Day.

Kevin's wife, 31-year-old Gina Spann, called police after she said she found his body upon returning from errands with her 11-year-old son and an 18-year-old friend, Larry Kelley, as reported by Oxygen.

The initial appearance of a home invasion turned out to be a conspiracy that included Gina, her lover Kelley, and a group of teenagers hired for the crime. Spurred by $300,000 worth of life insurance policies, Gina planned the murder to gain a financial reward in a collapsed marriage.

The episode explains how detectives broke up the scheme with confessions and proof, culminating in several arrests and convictions. The case highlights aspects of manipulation and deception within a household environment.

Viewers can catch Snapped season 35, episode 24, Gina Spann, which aired on October 12, 2025, on Oxygen. It is also available to stream on the Oxygen App, Peacock, NBC.com, Hulu, fuboTV, or YouTube TV.

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Five facts regarding the Gina Spann case in Snapped

1) Gina's recruitment and manipulation of teenagers

Snapped season 35, episode 24(Image via Unsplash/ @ Colin Davis)

In the Snapped episode, investigators detail how Gina Spann picked up vulnerable young men, like her 18-year-old boyfriend Larry Kelley and his friends, to commit the murder. She offered them drugs such as marijuana and alcohol, and initiated s*xual relationships to create loyalty. Kelley enlisted the help of friends Christopher Bargeron, Matthew Piazzi, and Gerald Horne to commit the crime.

Gina offered them $15,000 from her husband's insurance claim, according to Oxygen. The teens, under her influence, acquiesced. A motley party with drugs led to the crime, during which one teen handled the firearm. They were all arrested soon after, and confessions revealed the plot.

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2) The fabricated allegation to motivate the plot

Gina manipulated Larry against her husband (Image via Unsplash/ @ Alexander Mils)

The Snapped episode exposes Gina Spann's manipulation by a fictional tale to provoke Larry Kelley against her husband. She falsely accused Kevin of r*ping her, leading to her pregnancy and miscarriage, which angered Kelley. Medical records later testified that this was not true since Gina had undergone tubal ligation. This fabrication influenced Kelley to participate and to recruit others.

The motive was connected to the ill-fated marriage of the couple; Kevin had plans to divorce Gina and relocate to Illinois to be with his daughter from a previous relationship. Gina, who was out of work and at risk of losing money, viewed the insurance as an answer.

Family and detective interviews in the show reveal how this falsehood manipulated emotions, turning a dispute between individuals into a fatal conspiracy. The allegation was debunked during the investigation, which contributed to the case's resolution, according to Oxygen.

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3) The failed first attempt on May 10, 1997

Gina used drugs and money to manipulate teens (Image via Unsplash/ @ Sasun Bughdaryan)

As outlined in the show, the initial part of the plot took place the evening before the killing. Gina and Larry Kelley, with the former's son as a passenger for protection, drove Piazzi and Horne from a motel and dropped them off close to the Spann residence. The teens went up but did not find anyone at home.

To create the illusion of a robbery, they drove Kevin's car and shot into a window before they ran off. Gina and Kelley picked them up later.

Kevin had reported the crime to the police, not knowing the connection. The failed attempt revealed the naivety of the group, but it did not demoralize them. On the following day, they succeeded.

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4) The mother's day shooting and crime scene

Kevin was shot twice (Image via Unsplash/ @ Campbell Jensen/ Snapped)

The crime occurred on May 11, 1997, at approximately 10:45 pm, when Kevin opened his door and was shot twice in close proximity by Piazzi with a .38-caliber pistol that had been stolen previously. One bullet hit under his eye, fatal in nature, and the other hit his upper torso, neck, and chest, as per the Oxygen report.

Gina, Kelley, and her son were out building an alibi at a video shop and a gas station. Upon returning, Gina called 911 from a neighbor's home, reporting blood everywhere.

Kevin was pronounced dead at 11:40 pm. The timing of Mother's Day added a layer of irony, as the family appeared normal earlier. Police noted inconsistencies in statements, leading to quick arrests. The show features dispatch audio and investigator accounts, illustrating the scene's brutality and the plot's calculated nature, according to Oxygen.

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5) The rapid investigation and legal outcomes

Gina is serving her life sentence without parole (Image via Unsplash/ @ Markus Winkler/ Snapped)

As per the Snapped episode, the investigators cracked the case in a day, having arrested the five suspects on May 12, 1997. Piazzi confessed and took the police to where the gun was hidden. The other young men attested that Gina had solicited them before.

Evidence from Gina's car linked to the insurance motive. Confronted with the death penalty, Gina pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a firearm, serving a life sentence without parole plus five years, in return for testimony.

Kelley was found guilty at trial and received life in prison. Piazzi and Horne entered pleas of guilty to murder, both getting sentences to life. Horne was paroled in 2021. Bargeron, as the middleperson, received five years in prison and five years on probation. He was released in 2002.

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Catch Snapped season 35, episode 24, on the Oxygen App, NBC.com, Peacock, fuboTV, Hulu, or YouTube TV.