Melissa Jeltsen

Hi, I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. I'm excited to share episode one of our new podcast with you, but I also wanted to let you know that you can listen to episodes completely ad-free on iHeart True Crime Plus, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So head to Apple Podcasts, search for iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.

Hi, I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. I'm excited to share episode one of our new podcast with you, but I also wanted to let you know that you can listen to episodes completely ad-free on iHeart True Crime Plus, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So head to Apple Podcasts, search for iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.

The early days of the COVID pandemic were scary.

The early days of the COVID pandemic were scary.

But also, with some distance, the things we did to cope with our fear were pretty weird. Remember disinfecting our groceries, hoarding toilet paper, burning our mattresses? I didn't do that, but I heard about a woman who did because she thought it was contaminated with COVID. I remember holding my breath when I walked past another person, on a secluded lake in the middle of winter with masks on.

But also, with some distance, the things we did to cope with our fear were pretty weird. Remember disinfecting our groceries, hoarding toilet paper, burning our mattresses? I didn't do that, but I heard about a woman who did because she thought it was contaminated with COVID. I remember holding my breath when I walked past another person, on a secluded lake in the middle of winter with masks on.

I'd left New York for rural Pennsylvania with my boyfriend to ride out the worst of COVID. We packed for a weekend and stayed for two months. I ended up marrying the man too. We have a baby now.

I'd left New York for rural Pennsylvania with my boyfriend to ride out the worst of COVID. We packed for a weekend and stayed for two months. I ended up marrying the man too. We have a baby now.

Looking back, what sticks with me the most about that time is that queasy feeling that everyone I encountered, the Amazon driver, the checkout lady at the grocery store, was a potential suspect, someone who could unwittingly kill me and my family just by breathing. COVID isolation severed even the strongest connections, made it easy to hide behind a mask or behind closed doors.

Looking back, what sticks with me the most about that time is that queasy feeling that everyone I encountered, the Amazon driver, the checkout lady at the grocery store, was a potential suspect, someone who could unwittingly kill me and my family just by breathing. COVID isolation severed even the strongest connections, made it easy to hide behind a mask or behind closed doors.

And this changed our collective psyche, made us do things we probably wouldn't have otherwise. Things we were forced into or things we'd always wanted to do and never had the opportunity. It certainly changed the trajectory of Jess Trevino's life.

And this changed our collective psyche, made us do things we probably wouldn't have otherwise. Things we were forced into or things we'd always wanted to do and never had the opportunity. It certainly changed the trajectory of Jess Trevino's life.

One day in April 2020, Jess is in her kitchen, newly unemployed because, you know, COVID, and she's trying to take her mind off the chaos of the pandemic. She's attempting to replicate the latest food trend she sees online, a two-layered drink called Dalgona coffee.

One day in April 2020, Jess is in her kitchen, newly unemployed because, you know, COVID, and she's trying to take her mind off the chaos of the pandemic. She's attempting to replicate the latest food trend she sees online, a two-layered drink called Dalgona coffee.

And I was like, this sounds insane. The post is by a woman in Oklahoma who contracted coronavirus and announced she would not be seeking medical care. Something about her post stops Jess cold. Here's a recreation of parts of the post.

And I was like, this sounds insane. The post is by a woman in Oklahoma who contracted coronavirus and announced she would not be seeking medical care. Something about her post stops Jess cold. Here's a recreation of parts of the post.

Jess reads closer. The woman's name is Talena Zar. She is 53 years old. It seems that no one has heard from Talena since her post a few weeks ago. Jess squints at Talena's profile picture, a smiling selfie taken in the car, her blue-green eyes twinkling, and tries to understand why a person would make such a decision.

Jess reads closer. The woman's name is Talena Zar. She is 53 years old. It seems that no one has heard from Talena since her post a few weeks ago. Jess squints at Talena's profile picture, a smiling selfie taken in the car, her blue-green eyes twinkling, and tries to understand why a person would make such a decision.

Why would someone with COVID leave their friends and family and go off alone instead of seeking help? And where did she go? Jess will spend the next four years searching for the answer.

Why would someone with COVID leave their friends and family and go off alone instead of seeking help? And where did she go? Jess will spend the next four years searching for the answer.