Melissa Jeltsin
Appearances
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Carl Schmitt: The Mind Behind Modern Fascism
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zar. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Carl Schmitt: The Mind Behind Modern Fascism
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Carl Schmitt: The Mind Behind Modern Fascism
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Carl Schmitt: The Mind Behind Modern Fascism
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Carl Schmitt: The Mind Behind Modern Fascism
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Carl Schmitt: The Mind Behind Modern Fascism
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Carl Schmitt: The Mind Behind Modern Fascism
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: Carl Schmitt: The Mind Behind Modern Fascism
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talina Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talina Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part One: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How Tainted Human Blood Became A Major U.S. Export
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How Tainted Human Blood Became A Major U.S. Export
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How Tainted Human Blood Became A Major U.S. Export
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How Tainted Human Blood Became A Major U.S. Export
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How Tainted Human Blood Became A Major U.S. Export
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How Tainted Human Blood Became A Major U.S. Export
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How Tainted Human Blood Became A Major U.S. Export
I want to take over the world and just leave this place better than I found it.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How Tainted Human Blood Became A Major U.S. Export
Oh my gosh. This is amazing.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: What's New With Andrew Tate?
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zar. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: What's New With Andrew Tate?
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: What's New With Andrew Tate?
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: What's New With Andrew Tate?
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: How The U.S. Government Used Aliens To Destroy a Man's Mind
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talina Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talina Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zar. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Behind the Bastards
Part Two: Space Magic from Venus: A Literary Odyssey
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zarr 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Bone Valley
Introducing - Absolute: Taser Incorporated, Teaser
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zar. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
Bone Valley
Introducing - Absolute: Taser Incorporated, Teaser
I kept just kind of asking everybody, anyone else think this is strange? You'll notice that about me. I don't lurk. I'm out there. I'm an action kind of girl. You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait.
Bone Valley
Introducing - Absolute: Taser Incorporated, Teaser
Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien
Bad Luck, Mary
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien
Bad Luck, Mary
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien
Bad Luck, Mary
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien
Bad Luck, Mary
I didn't want to be talked out of this plan. After I post this, I am turning off my phone for exactly this reason.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
I'm looking at a social media account that Talena created. In her bio, she describes herself and her husband Tom, a.k.a. Master Zarius.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
This is a dramatization of some of Talena's writing on FetLife, a dating and social media site for people interested in fetish and BDSM. Picture Facebook, but with dick pics and leather. If you're curious, it's not safe for work, unless your work is making a podcast about all of this. I was able to see Talena's profile simply by signing up for an account.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
As far as I can tell, there was a time when Talena was a prolific FetLife user. She connected with new friends, found events to attend, and shared a lot of personal writing. Although FetLife is primarily a sexual forum, there's not much on her page about sex at all. Most of what she shared was overwhelmingly wholesome, little essays focused on the banality of everyday life.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
And people would respond with kind comments. This was clearly her chosen community, where she felt safe to be herself.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Talena revealed a lot about her life, her insecurities, her ongoing weight loss journey.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Reading through these essays, I got a real feel for Talena's personality. She's spunky and adventurous. In one post, she talks about skydiving with her niece. But she's also not afraid to be vulnerable.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Talena wrote a lot about her relationship with her husband, Tom, who she refers to as Master Zarius, or just Master.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
I'm not sure exactly how or when Talena and Tom met, except that they both served in the military, and by 2004, they were living together in Indiana. Talena was 38, Tom 46, and it's possible that it was Tom who introduced her to Gore. According to his own posts on FetLife, he discovered the books in his youth, and they made a big impact on him. Here's a dramatization of Tom's writing.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
According to her profile, Talena had been in BDSM-type relationships since she was 18 years old. But with Tom, she moved into something different, a master-slave relationship that required her submission to him 24-7.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
They lived strictly according to Gorian principles, which meant that Tom was in charge of all decisions and Talena yielded control absolutely to her husband.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
For most people, me included, the word slavery does not have any positive connotations. Wars have been waged to abolish it. Generations of people have worked to ensure no one endures such a fate. And here is someone voluntarily living this way. Honestly, I find it hard to wrap my head around. And yet, the way Talena described it, their relationship sounded more nuanced than I had expected.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Talena freely shared the inner workings of her relationship with the gore community and over time became an expert, someone who guided others new to the lifestyle. I discovered from digging through her old posts that at some point she actually began formally teaching classes with Tom on how to be in a dominant-submissive relationship.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Here's a description of a class they taught in 2013 called Formal Dinner Service, where slaves were taught how to serve food while naked.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
In my hands, I hold a slim paperback novel titled The Tarnsman of Gore. Published in 1966 by author John Norman, it's the first in a sprawling series of fantasy novels set on a counter-Earth. Here's the blurb from the back cover.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Deep diving into the gore series, the subculture that has cropped up around it, and Talena's embrace of its principles, I had so many questions. The most pressing being, why would someone so smart, self-aware, and opinionated like Talena want to engage in a dynamic like this? Don't get me wrong, there's a part of me that understands the allure of ceding control.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
There are plenty of days where I feel so burned out that I don't want to decide anything, what to eat or what to wear or even what show to put on to decompress. But as a woman, wife, and mom, equity in my household is really important to me. My partner and I deliberately strive to share the mental and physical loads of life. Play acting these roles for kink and pleasure in the bedroom, I get that.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
But to live within this dynamic where the male partner always has the final say, it goes against every fiber of my being. Why would someone desire this?
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
This is Julie Fennell, a sociologist and longtime member of the BDSM community who studies gender and sexuality. She's the author of Please Scream Quietly, A Story of Kink.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Julie told me that people who choose to live as submissives are oftentimes healthy, well-adjusted, and self-confident, making the choice out of free will. But she acknowledges that's not the case for everyone.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
There's a stereotype that people who are into BDSM must have had bad experiences in their childhood that led them down this path, and that BDSM is a way to grapple with or relive those traumas. And maybe in some cases that's true, but as Julie explained it, many others just like the sensation of a whip on their skin or being tied up with ropes.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
As she said, not everything has to be pathologized. Julie pointed out that a big draw of BDSM is the community aspect, finding others who don't judge you for who you are. Beyond online spaces like FetLife, it's not uncommon for BDSMers to congregate in person, whether that's at nightclubs, backyard barbecues, or dungeons.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
I get that. But is the gore community beautiful? I have limited insight, but the conversations I observed in gore spaces were pretty misogynistic. In one Discord forum I joined, the women, slaves, were constantly talked down to and seemed unable to share their opinions freely. Their names had to be in lowercase letters and they couldn't even talk about themselves in the first person.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
She instead of I. It didn't take long for me to get kicked out of the forum for simply asking one of the women what it was like to identify as a slave. This Gorian culture, I observed, it seemed to me to be a cover for old-fashioned beliefs about the superiority of men.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Gorian philosophy is an outlier in the BDSM world. Julie says that's because gore really goes against the current understanding of gender, which is far more fluid and dynamic. She mentioned a survey she conducted among BDSMers, asking them if they agreed with the statement, I believe that men are naturally dominant and women are naturally submissive. Only 10% did.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
This book, it's not the type of fiction I typically gravitate towards. It's giving pulpy romance novel meets planetary sci-fi vibes. On the cover is a suggestive illustration. A shirtless, muscular man brandishes a sharp weapon, his stance exuding dominance. Below him, a topless woman kneels, her head bowed in submission, her hands bound behind her back.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Gore gets a laugh. The sci-fi elements, the arcane beliefs. We're so far past women barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. But that doesn't mean it's harmless.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Giving up your bodily autonomy, it can make you vulnerable to abuse, to being in dangerous situations, which made me wonder, was Talena ever in harm's way? There was one essay she wrote that gave me the shivers.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
As a reporter who has spent a decade writing about domestic violence, this story raises all the alarm bells. But I asked Julie what she made of it. She tells it as this story of like, that she was grateful to be reminded of, she was happy that he cared enough about it that he would punish her. and put her back in her place. But I've spent my career writing about domestic violence.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
And so for me, it's hard to read that essay and not see it as abuse. And like, I've seen a lot of victims of domestic violence really come up with really creative ways to justify the behavior and make sense of it in their own relationship.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Looming in the distance, a warrior rides a massive, savage-looking bird. I read the first book for research purposes, but honestly, it was a struggle. Listening as an audiobook on double speed helped.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
After finding out about Talena's disappearance from a Facebook post, it doesn't take Jess long to connect Talena to the Gorian subculture.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Scrolling through Talena's Facebook, Jess comes across a post from January 2020, just a few months before Talena goes missing. It's a photo of Talena's new Oklahoma driver's license, along with her story of dealing with the bureaucracy of legally changing her name.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
The gore series, spelled G-O-R, starts off pretty tame, following a British professor abducted from Earth and forced into the life of a warrior on gore. Gore is different from Earth in a lot of ways. Fantastical creatures, homestones that hold mythical powers for different clans, that sort of thing. Plus, there's your typical array of human activities.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
So right before Talena disappeared, she legally changed her name. And not just her last name, both of her given names. She went from Jana Lovick to Talena Galloway. Galloway was Tom's last name. Even though they never formally married and Tom had been dead for over two years, carrying on his memory in this way seemed important to her.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
And the name Talena, she'd been using that first name for years amongst friends and family, according to the petition she filed with the state. Online, she used the handle Talena Zar for her social media accounts. Jess isn't sure where Zar comes from, but Talena, it appears she'd taken it directly from the Gore books. The gore world is one Jess knows nothing about, but she's willing to learn.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
And how many did you read? I think probably 10. While the rest of the country is exploring new hobbies during quarantine, Jess is getting a mini education in BDSM and gore culture. And from what she learns, it seems like a subculture where women could easily be taken advantage of, hurt, or even killed. Jess knows that Talena's late husband Tom couldn't have been involved in her disappearance.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
But what about the other men in the Gorg community? Men who saw women as property. Men who were not used to hearing the word no.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Jess and the internet sleuths start wondering, is their main source, Talena's friend Marty, also a Gorian? For one, there's that photo where he referred to Talena as another of his wives. And then there's his unusual nickname, Wolf or Wolfie.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Still, Jess is not afraid to ask Marty, Wolf, pointed questions about Gore.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Plundering, nomadic wandering, kidnapping, wars. But the most notable thing is that men on Gor can own female slaves. They're called Kajira. They wear collars and have no rights. These women are considered akin to pets.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
As the COVID shutdown stretches from days to weeks, Marty lets down his guard, opens up about Gore life. He eventually explains to Jess that Talena and Tom and Marty and his wife were all in a Gorian family together called the Great Eagle family.
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Talena seemed to be proud of it too. Here's how she identifies at the top of her FetLife profile.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Gorefest was a festival created by Marty. Every so often, he and his wife invited Gorians from across the country to their sprawling property in Oklahoma for a weekend of revelry. Talena and Tom loved going to Gorefest, so much so that they ultimately moved to Oklahoma to be closer to Marty and their Gorian friends.
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It was also at Gorefest where Talena met Corey, who went on to become her roommate after Tom died. I found an old website that Marty ran dedicated to Gorefest that includes this little history.
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Clicking around on this old website, I found the list of events. Sparring, axe throwing, tug of war, and serving. Slaves could take part in a position competition, testing their knowledge of the 10 submissive positions they should be able to assume upon command, according to Gorian philosophy. Don't look these up at work either. And there was also, sigh, a slave auction,
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And this arrangement is mutually beneficial, according to the philosophy described at length by author John Norman, as men are naturally dominant and women are inherently submissive. Here's a typical passage, the likes of which is repeated ad nauseum throughout the series.
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On another page was a list of Gorefest attendees, divided into two categories. In one list, I found Master Zarius, Tom. Master Shakar, Marty. In another, the slave list, Talina Zar. Zar as in belonging to Master Zarius. By the time Talena went missing, Master Zarius was dead. So did Talena belong to someone else? Marty explained to Jess that Talena was now an unowned slave.
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Marty had Talena's, quote, protection collar, which meant that he was looking after her. He wasn't her master, but he was a protector of sorts. Though what she needed to be protected from was unclear.
What Happened to Talina Zar
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Other Gorians trying to take her collar? Jess is suspicious of the list of men who attended Gorefest over the years. Masters whose real identities are unknown to her. But Marty is adamant that all this Gore stuff has nothing to do with Talena's disappearance. She's looking in the wrong place. Jess thinks there's more he's not telling her.
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But as time goes on, she starts to believe he's being earnest.
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The two are an unlikely pair, a nosy bartender in Minnesota, a geeky Gorian master in Oklahoma, having intimate conversations deep into the night, trauma bonding in the depths of COVID isolation, when, all of a sudden, a new clue takes the investigation in an entirely different direction.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
That's next week on What Happened to Talena Zarr. What Happened to Talena Zar is a production of iHeart Podcasts. It's written, reported, and hosted by me, Melissa Jeltsin, with writing and story editing by Lauren Hansen. Our executive producer is Ryan Murdock. For iHeart Podcasts, executive producers are Jason English and Carl Cadel. Fact-checking by Savannah Hughley.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Zoe Denkla is our associate producer. Jeremy Thal is our editor. Original music by Aaron Kaufman, with additional music by Jeremy Thal and Gideon Crevichet. Episodes are mixed and mastered by Carl Cato. Voice acting by Lizzie Gore, Chris Ferry, Stephanie Frame, Pete Monica, and Molly Maslin. Our logo is designed by Ido Moore. Thanks so much for listening.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
You can now get access to episodes of What Happened to Talena Zar 100% ad-free with an iHeart True Crime Plus subscription. I'm a subscriber and you should be too. So don't wait. Head to Apple Podcasts, search iHeart True Crime Plus and subscribe today.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
So, yeah, unsurprisingly, the books were divisive, released during the 1960s and 70s as women fought for equality and pushed back against patriarchy. There was public backlash. Marion Zimmer Bradley, a sci-fi author of The Popular Myths of Avalon, shared a publisher with Norman and wrote a book in protest called Warrior Women, in which a female slave fights back against her enslavement.
What Happened to Talina Zar
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Yet, the Gore books resonated with enough readers to sustain Norman's prolific output, roughly one book a year for over two decades. In 1987, the series inspired a Hollywood movie.
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It looks campy and was widely panned by critics at the time. But despite dismal box office numbers and reviews, a second gore movie was released a year later. I can't even find box office numbers for that one, so it doesn't seem like it had much of an audience.
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Belonging — Talina Zar E3
And it was around this time, in the late 1980s, that Norman was dropped by his publisher, a decision he has said was due to pressure from feminist editors. But he didn't stop writing. In the early 2000s, Norman took his work online, publishing more than a dozen e-books since. The advent of the internet also fostered a devoted subculture of fans.
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Gore obsessives gathered in chat rooms to debate everything from traditional sword sizes to slave garments to how best to integrate the social structure of the books into one's life. In other words, how to be a Gorian. Not pretend, not role-playing on Second Life, but how to be a master or a slave in the home, in the bedroom, in life, period.
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And today, a niche community of self-identified Gorians still exists. They practice master-slave relationships modeled on the books, keeping Norman's controversial vision alive. And that world? Well, that was Tallinnus.
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From iHeart Podcast, I'm Melissa Jeltsin, and this is What Happened to Talena Zar?
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
I had hoped to speak to John Norman, author of the Gore series, to learn more about his work and the subculture inspired by the books. But his current publisher told me that Norman, quote, does not want to be interviewed if The Slant is going to be another judgmental feminist attack. He added that Norman is also over 90 years old, and like many that age, can be a little cranky.
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So instead, I talked to an expert who, despite being a feminist, was surprisingly nonjudgmental.
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You know, fiction is an escape. This is Dr. Gloria Bream, a sex therapist and self-described kinkster.
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Gloria has spent her career as a sex educator trying to reduce the stigma around BDSM, an acronym you've probably heard thrown around that stands for bondage, dominance, sadism, and masochism.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Hi, listeners. I'm Melissa Jeltsin, host of What Happened to Talena Zarr. It's the story of a woman who disappears in the early days of COVID lockdowns and the group of online sleuths who try to find her.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Belonging — Talina Zar E3
Though the Gore books were titillating, Gloria never really connected with them. The strict gender roles depicted in the series felt anachronistic. On Gore, men were in charge. Women followed, listened, and served, often while scantily clad.
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Gloria's introduction to gore was brief, didn't leave that much of an impact. But later in life, when she immersed herself in the BDSM community, she learned that some people felt very connected to the books.
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Belonging — Talina Zar E3
There's no way to know how many people in the US or in the world call themselves Gorian or try to live according to the principles in the books. But if you move in BDSM spaces, you may come across them once in a while.
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This world, it's been hard to pierce as an outsider, reporter, and a woman. Gorians are extremely protective of their lifestyle, knowing that their choices are probably not accepted in the mainstream. Those who did talk to me shared fears of being outed and losing their jobs or jeopardizing their families.
What Happened to Talina Zar
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In order to better understand what it even is to be a Gorian, I spent six months lurking in the online spaces where they hang out these days, Reddit and Discord. And listening in on these conversations, I was able to glean some information. For example, there's a spectrum of Gorian participation. On one end are those who keep it virtual, where they role-play the master-slave dynamic online.
What Happened to Talina Zar
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And on the other end are people who live every day like this. Couples who enter into a contract, sometimes written, sometimes not, where the woman submits to the man, relinquishing her rights to choice, freedom, agency... It sounds shocking, but for some people, it is very sexy and very satisfying.
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Greg found a kindred spirit in Corey. She too was a handyman of sorts. Strong, industrious.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
Corey also found unique ways to make money, like buying people's old stuff and selling it on eBay. And Greg thought maybe he could do that too.
What Happened to Talina Zar
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Talena seemed to really enjoy having a friend around, too. It lifted her spirits. Here's Eris again. Having Cory there improved her quality of life.
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While Corey's presence was a comfort, there were clues that Talena was still struggling with Tom's loss. In November of 2019, a few months before COVID hit, Talena wrote a note to her friends on Facebook entitled, Grief Etiquette. Here's a reenactment of some of that post.
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Aris described Talena as assertive and good at setting boundaries.
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Quick note. You've heard most of Talena's cryptic Facebook post already. But there's a few lines I withheld that mention Tom. Now that you know who he is, this will make more sense.
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And this part of the post, it resonates with those who knew Talena in real life, who'd witnessed her debilitating depression after Tom's death. Here again is Nicole, who saw Talena just a few weeks before she went missing.
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This episode mentions suicide. Please take care while listening.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
Greg Thompson is 53 years old and has lived within a 45-minute drive of Wagner, Oklahoma, his entire life.
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A week before Talena disappeared, she posted about her illness on Facebook.
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Talena is talking about Corey, her roommate, running the household and watching out for her. Corey had been the last person to see Talena before she disappeared. On the day Talena posted her mysterious message, Corey said she'd been out running errands and came home to an empty house.
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The next day, Corey posted to her own Facebook page, alerting everyone to her missing roommate and asking for help. Here's a recreation of parts of the post.
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I looked it up. It's about double that, 8,000. Still small, a place where everyone kind of knows everyone and neighbors act neighborly. When Greg meets Talena, she's a recent transplant to the area.
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A day later, Corey posts again, this time sharing insight into what Talena's experience with COVID had been like.
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A few days go by. Talena's friends hear nothing and start to worry she's died of COVID, alone, in a remote cabin. But they also start imagining other worst-case scenarios. Like Greg, who speculates that maybe Talena was abducted.
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Her friends think, hope, maybe Talena will emerge over the weekend. But as Saturday and Sunday come and go, their polite respect for her privacy curdles into concern and dread. And there's consensus that the police now need to be involved.
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On Monday, April 13th, Corey goes to the sheriff's department, but she's told that an adult woman leaving on her own is not considered a missing person, at least not yet. Four more days pass. By Friday, Talena has still not returned, so Corey tries again. This time, she's able to file a missing persons report. That same day, two deputies drive out to Talena and Cory's house.
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Because of COVID, they play it safe and don't go inside. Instead, they talk to Cory in the driveway. They get the basic facts, like what Talena looks like and Talena's cell phone number, which they immediately try to locate. Surveying the property, the deputies note a gray shed in front of the house and several vehicles parked in the driveway, two cars and a red truck with a trailer attached.
What Happened to Talina Zar
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Greg became friends with Talena because he's the guy you call when you've got odd jobs that need doing.
What Happened to Talina Zar
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And then they turn the case over to Detective Joel Weber, who will lead the search. A few days later, he asks Corey to come back to the station to provide more details.
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Okay. Now two weeks after Talena's Facebook post, Corey arrives at the station wearing a COVID mask and gloves. We don't have a recording of the conversation, but we do have a transcript, parts of which we've recreated.
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Detective Weber asks Corey how they met and came to live together.
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Corey explains that she moved in less than a year ago, in May 2019.
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Corey tells the detective that when she moved in, she took on a lot of responsibilities for Talena, who had been struggling with her health. Corey ran errands for her, handled the household duties. They got close fast. They considered each other their emergency contacts. Talena even listed Corey as the executor of her estate in her will.
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In early 2020, before COVID shuts the world down, Talena is on the hunt for the perfect mattress to help her troubled sleep. This turns out to be a tedious task for the 53-year-old, who buys and returns multiple mattresses in the process. But luckily, she has Greg to help her with the heavy lifting.
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And so when Talena got COVID, Corey went into full caregiver mode.
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By this point, there are over 2.6 million confirmed cases of COVID globally. The U.S. leads the world and New York is the epicenter with over 250,000 cases, thousands of deaths and hospitals beyond capacity. Oklahoma was preparing for the worst, predicting a surge in COVID cases any day now.
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On the morning of April 7th, Corey says she asks again if she can take Talena to the hospital. And Talena, again, says no.
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When Corey gets home sometime in the afternoon, she goes into Talena's room to check on her. And Talena's gone. Corey can't tell if Talena has taken clothes or an overnight bag, but her phone is missing, along with some medication. And Talena's guns.
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Corey explains that Talena was very matter-of-fact about death. Talena had already organized her own funeral and made plans for her estate.
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Still, Corey says she's holding out hope that Talena is alive and offers to help Detective Weber in any way she can. He asks her to watch the mail for credit card statements and phone bills that may offer clues to her whereabouts.
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Finally, Talena finds a mattress that checks all the boxes. But now she has an extra mattress on her hands. Luckily, she knows a family in need.
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This is Eris Howell, another one of Talena's local friends. Eris had just closed on her very first house. Talena had guided her through the process, emotionally and sometimes even financially. In fact, the bed was just one of many things Talena offered to help make Eris' new house a home.
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While the cops are talking to Corey, the online sleuths have their own sprawling investigation.
What Happened to Talina Zar
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Everybody had their roles. Brittany, as an Arkansas native, was trying to piece together Talena's movements and timing. Jess was the instigator, reaching out to new contacts.
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This is Rosie, the small business owner in Ohio.
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Talena's real-life friend, Nicole, starts taking advice from Jess and the sleuths.
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Meanwhile, membership of the Find Talena Zar Facebook group grows rapidly to almost 400 participants. And with the growth, some growing pains.
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The group starts off public, but obviously that's a mistake. So they change it to private. Jess and some of the other original members do admin duty, vetting new requests, approving comments, keeping things civil. Some of these people are jerks. Tempers were high.
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And the investigation into Talena's disappearance was, she admits, kind of fun.
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Scheming with a bunch of strangers, laughing, brainstorming together. It also makes Jess feel connected.
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It's a new community, united by a common goal. Find Talena Zar. But it's hard to know just how trustworthy everyone is. And there's a name that keeps popping up in Jess's conversations. Has she talked to Talena's close friend, Marty? Jess gets a hold of his number.
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So I think most people would not cold call someone random whose friend just disappeared.
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Connecting with Marty is like hitting gold for Jess and the online sleuths because he's on the ground in Wagner looking for Talena too. And he's also been talking to the sheriff's department. For whatever reason, he's willing to share everything he has with them. He's not skeptical of a bunch of strangers doing their own investigation into Talena's disappearance. In fact, he welcomes it.
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The first big clue Marty gives them has to do with Talena's cell phone. The detectives tell him that her phone was last used on April 7th, the same day as the Facebook post.
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Lake Mommel is a three and a half hour drive from Wagner. Brittany, who happens to be in Arkansas, starts putting together a map.
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As COVID hits Oklahoma, Aris doesn't get to see her friend very often. Talena has rheumatoid arthritis and other health issues that make contracting the virus a real concern. She was immunocompromised, so she was taking it very, very seriously. But Talena still wants to hand off the mattress, as she promised. And so on Friday, March 27th, Talena texts Aris to organize a pickup.
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Pretty quickly, Marty becomes their main source, a person who seems to know a lot, who's just as committed as they are to finding Talena. He goes around town passing out the missing poster, helps organize the vigil, even talks to the local press.
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During this time, Marty and Jess are in constant communication.
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It's a mutually beneficial relationship. Marty likes to talk. Jess likes to listen.
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In the beginning, Jess doesn't know if she should trust Marty. And that's just her baseline. She doesn't trust anyone before they prove themselves to her. So she's kind of pretending with Marty to get him to open up to her. She'll say whatever to make him comfortable to get the information she wants.
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Even though she's acting friendly on the phone, Jess is double-checking everything Marty says. On Facebook, she can see that Talena and Marty seem to be good friends, like he said. They're tagged in each other's posts a lot. including in a photo taken at the Oklahoma Renaissance Fair in April 2018. It's Talena, Marty, and his wife, Lorianne. It's a warm day.
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They're dressed in shorts and t-shirts, all smiling widely. But in the caption, Marty refers to both women as his, quote, wives, which is confusing. And so is Talena's name, or more accurately, names. When Jess runs a basic background check, the kind you can pay for online, nothing comes up for Talena Zar. Turns out her legal name is actually Talena Galloway.
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Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
But even that name hadn't been her name for very long. Before Talena Galloway, she was Jana Lovick. And before that, Jana Dillman. Jess doesn't know what to make of all this. With additional research, Jess learns that Talena Czar is more of her online nickname.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
That's next week on What Happened to Talena Zarr. What Happened to Talena Zarr is a production of iHeart Podcast. It's written, reported, and hosted by me, Melissa Jeltsin, with writing and story editing by Lauren Hansen. Our executive producer is Ryan Murdoch. For iHeart Podcasts, executive producers are Jason English and Carl Cadel. Fact-checking by Savannah Hugley.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
Zoe Denkla is our associate producer. Jeremy Thal is our editor. Original music by Aaron Kaufman, with additional music by Jeremy Thal. Episodes are mixed and mastered by Carl Cato. Voice acting by Lizzie Gore, Chris Ferry, Stephanie Frame, Pete Monica, and Molly Maslin. Our logo is designed by Ido Moore. Thanks so much for listening.
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Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
A few days go by. Having not heard from her friend, Eris checks in.
What Happened to Talina Zar
Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
This is her last exchange with Talena before she goes missing. From iHeart Podcasts, I'm Melissa Jeltsin, and this is What Happened to Talena Tzar?
What Happened to Talina Zar
Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
Episode 2, Small Town, Big Secrets.
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Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
This is Greg, the local handyman in Wagner.
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When Talena moved to Wagner, Oklahoma in late 2016, she did it with her partner, Tom. They left their longtime home in Indianapolis and purchased a brown ranch house in Whitehorn Cove, a lake community near the border of Arkansas. From the outside, the home is rustic-looking, cozy, private, set back from the road and nestled among the tall trees.
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It's not easy to move to a totally new place when you're in your 50s and beyond, but the couple had their reasons for choosing Wagner, of all places. One being, they had a group of friends who were already established there, like Eris Howell.
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The two women were several decades apart, and Eris looked up to Talena like a big sister.
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And it helped that they shared the same offbeat sense of humor. Eris told me about one time Talena was giving her some spices from her pantry that she no longer needed.
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To her friends, Talena was not only kind, generous, and hilarious, she was also super smart. Here's Greg again.
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Talena was a techie and a good one. She worked on Microsoft products, fixing code errors that no one else could solve.
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Talena was helpful to her community and also devoted to her partner, Tom. The two had been together for more than a decade. They had one of those bonds that, you know, everybody could aspire to.
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But Talena wasn't a homebody. She traveled a lot for work, often swinging through Indiana, where she and Tom used to live, and some of her extended family remained. And then, while she was on one of those routine trips, the unthinkable happened.
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Tom was only 59. In his obituary, he was described as a 22-year veteran of the Army and an avid gun enthusiast. The family asked that in lieu of flowers, well-wishers could donate to his favorite charity for love of dogs.
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Tom's death unmoored Talena, and for a long while afterwards, she battled with a stubborn depression.
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This is Kim, a hairdresser in Wagner who cut Talena's hair. She remembered Talena's first appointment after Tom passed.
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Talena didn't like living alone in the house she'd shared with Tom. Nicole, her friend in Tennessee, remembered how Talena navigated her new role as a relatively young widow.
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It was in 2019 that Talena invited Corey Bomily, a 58-year-old woman she knew through friends, to move in with her. Corey was also in a transitional period, in the middle of a divorce. I couldn't get Corey to speak to me, but from what I've learned, the two had a lot in common. They were both adjusting to life without a partner.
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They were both enthusiastic pet owners, sharing a singular love for animals. And they both dabbled in pagan culture and attended local Renaissance fairs for fun.
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Small Town, Big Secrets — Talina Zar E2
It didn't take long for Talena and Corey's lives to become intertwined. Soon enough, Corey was over at Kim's getting her own haircut. While Talena was adventurous with her hair, dyeing it different colors and even doing a perm, Corey preferred a look some might call a mullet.
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Corey quickly fell in with Talena's social circle, too. Here's Greg again.