Melissa Jeltsin

But the last time they'd seen Talena, she told them that Marty was out of the picture.

But the last time they'd seen Talena, she told them that Marty was out of the picture.

It's the early days of COVID, April 2020. A woman in a small town in Oklahoma makes a strange post to Facebook and then disappears.

It's the early days of COVID, April 2020. A woman in a small town in Oklahoma makes a strange post to Facebook and then disappears.

Pretty quickly, a ragtag group of women on the internet start their own investigation.

Pretty quickly, a ragtag group of women on the internet start their own investigation.

But the world they uncover is beyond their wildest imagination.

But the world they uncover is beyond their wildest imagination.

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 Jess, our internet sleuth in Minnesota. A few weeks into her own investigation, she's also discovering that Talena and Marty's relationship may not have been exactly how he described it. And she's beginning to suspect that he's been lying to her Which is tough because they've become very close very fast.

This is Jess, our internet sleuth in Minnesota. A few weeks into her own investigation, she's also discovering that Talena and Marty's relationship may not have been exactly how he described it. And she's beginning to suspect that he's been lying to her Which is tough because they've become very close very fast.

When Marty talks about his relationship with Talena, he makes it seem as though they were extremely close, the best of friends. But Jess is learning new information that introduces some ambiguity into the picture. For one, she finds out from another friend of Talena's that Marty had allegedly stolen from Talena a few months before her disappearance.

When Marty talks about his relationship with Talena, he makes it seem as though they were extremely close, the best of friends. But Jess is learning new information that introduces some ambiguity into the picture. For one, she finds out from another friend of Talena's that Marty had allegedly stolen from Talena a few months before her disappearance.

Jess also suspects that Talena had been helping Marty out financially. For a while.

Jess also suspects that Talena had been helping Marty out financially. For a while.

As Marty explains to Jess, he suffers from chronic pain and addiction, has had a hard time holding down a job. On one of their calls, Marty even goes so far as to ask Jess for some money for his pain medication, but that's a line Jess isn't willing to cross. According to Jess, Marty said Talena would sometimes pay his phone and water bills, even chip in for his meds.

As Marty explains to Jess, he suffers from chronic pain and addiction, has had a hard time holding down a job. On one of their calls, Marty even goes so far as to ask Jess for some money for his pain medication, but that's a line Jess isn't willing to cross. According to Jess, Marty said Talena would sometimes pay his phone and water bills, even chip in for his meds.

Things were messy between Marty and Talena, but when I asked Jess about Marty and Talena's friendship ending abruptly just before her disappearance, Jess didn't think it was that black and white. As far as she could tell, the two had been communicating regularly.

Things were messy between Marty and Talena, but when I asked Jess about Marty and Talena's friendship ending abruptly just before her disappearance, Jess didn't think it was that black and white. As far as she could tell, the two had been communicating regularly.