Melissa Jeltsin

It's April 2020. A woman announces on Facebook that she has COVID and won't be seeking medical attention.

Listen to What Happened to Talena Zarr on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to What Happened to Talena Zarr on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to What Happened to Talena Zarr on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is an iHeart Podcast. It's April 2020. A woman announces on Facebook that she has COVID and won't be seeking medical attention.

This is an iHeart Podcast. It's April 2020. A woman announces on Facebook that she has COVID and won't be seeking medical attention.

Listen to What Happened to Talena Zarr on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to What Happened to Talena Zarr on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

It hasn't been easy to get people into Lena's life to speak to me on the record. It's clear she was well-loved, and you've heard from some of her friends already. I've reached out to many more and to her family, but for whatever reason, most have been apprehensive to participate. I was able to talk to Talena's sister, Cheryl Jones. She called me back the day she received my letter.

It hasn't been easy to get people into Lena's life to speak to me on the record. It's clear she was well-loved, and you've heard from some of her friends already. I've reached out to many more and to her family, but for whatever reason, most have been apprehensive to participate. I was able to talk to Talena's sister, Cheryl Jones. She called me back the day she received my letter.

She said she was relieved to have the chance to talk about her sister. She refers to Talena as Jana, her birth name.

She said she was relieved to have the chance to talk about her sister. She refers to Talena as Jana, her birth name.

As you may recall, Talena was part of the Gorian community, a niche group of BDSM followers who live by the strict social structure outlined in the Gore books, a sci-fi series where men are the dominant gender and women are naturally subservient.

As you may recall, Talena was part of the Gorian community, a niche group of BDSM followers who live by the strict social structure outlined in the Gore books, a sci-fi series where men are the dominant gender and women are naturally subservient.

For the better part of a decade, Talena lived as a 24-7 slave to her husband Tom, or Master Zarius, doing whatever and acting however he wished, in the bedroom and outside of it.

For the better part of a decade, Talena lived as a 24-7 slave to her husband Tom, or Master Zarius, doing whatever and acting however he wished, in the bedroom and outside of it.

Talena was active online, and her nieces were too. They saw the types of things she posted, the terms she used, and eventually worked out that Talena was part of the BDSM community and that that identity was very important to her.

Talena was active online, and her nieces were too. They saw the types of things she posted, the terms she used, and eventually worked out that Talena was part of the BDSM community and that that identity was very important to her.

One day, Cheryl heard her sister Jana refer to herself as Talena.

One day, Cheryl heard her sister Jana refer to herself as Talena.