Online Fantasy Romance Ends In Murder.

In today's case, the world of fantasy on the internet, collided dramatically with reality. It is the case of a tragic love triangle and the links that people will go to for attention and revenge. In May 2005, 46-year-old Thomas Montgomery, a married father with two children, found a fantasy escape within the chat room of the popular gaming site, Pogo. though, the site was aimed for the use of teenagers. It was perfect for Thomas. Exploiting the anonymity of the internet. He created a profile with the name Marinesniper, where he pretended to be a young Iraq-bound Marine. Thomas chose the handle as a callback to the six years he had served in the military when he was younger. Though his name suggests that he was a sniper during that time, he never actually trained as one.

Thomas Montgomery




 Furthering the fantasy element of his online profile. At first, the chat room was a place of escapism for Thomas, a place for him to feel young and robust. But soon, one of the players on the side by the handle of tallhotblonde, caught his attention. The two started chatting and tallhotblonde told him that her real name was Jessi, and that she was 18. Jessi told him she was from West Virginia and that she was a senior in high school  who played softball. Thomas  responded by telling her that he went by Tommy and that he was also 18. believing that they would never meet in real life. He saw no harm in the lie. The two began to flirt over the chat, which after some time escalated into a full blown internet romance. As their online courtship progressed, Jessi began to send Thomas photos of herself, which became progressively more provocative. Thomas returned with photos of himself from 30 years earlier. Ones where he was almost unrecognizable, to how he looked now.The relationship soon went beyond the chat room. And the two started to talk on the phone trading love letters and gifts. And all the while Thomas knew that he was lying to Jessi, but the relationship had become completely consuming for Thomas, which he later described as, "More real to me than real life. "It was like a, a drug that I needed every day." Over the chat, Jessi wrote, "I love you always and forever, Tommy." with Thomas responding, "I've never felt this way."

 But the fantasy world of the internet can only stay separate from the real world for so long. Sometime in March, 2006, one of Thomas's daughters used his computer, just when Jessi messaged him. startled by what she read, she immediately told her mother, Cindy, who then went through Thomas's computer and found all of the pair's messages, love letters, photos and even a pair of red underwear that Jessi had sent Thomas and raged and a hurt by the lies and deceit of her husband. Cindy took matters into her own hands and messaged Jessi back. She sent a photo of their family and wrote, "Let me  introduce you to these people. The man in the center is Tom, my husband, since 1989, he is 46 years old. Do not trust words on a computer. Let this go, you will only be hurt by a man who had mastered the art of manipulation and lies." Jessie responded with horror, texting Thomas and telling him that she hated him and that he should be put in jail for what he had done.

Brian Barrett


 But the saga didn't end there, dealing with her own heartbreak. Jessi went through denial and she ended up tracking down one of Thomas's coworkers, 22 year old college student. And part-time machinists Brian Barrett. Over a chat room, where Brian used the username, Beefcake, Jessi asked him if what Thomas' wife had told her was true. It wasn't long before Jessi and Brian started an affair of their own, sparking, enormous jealousy in Thomas, who watched their flirting over the chat room and heard about it from coworkers in real life. As he grew angrier about Jessi's new love, Thomas messaged her saying that Brian will pay in blood and calling her a variety of offensive names. To retaliate, both Jessi and Brian told everyone on the forums, his true age.


 During all of this, Jessi appeared tore in between her first romance and her new relationship with Brian. Frequently, she would message Thomas to tell him that she missed him and that she wished they could be together. Now that Jessi knew about his family and his real age Thomas felt like he had hit the jackpot and that an attractive young girl, liked him for who he really was. Even though the two seem to rekindle their romance, Jessi once again, called it off. After some time she began talking to Brian again and this time Thomas is jealousy at Jessie's betrayal, turned into something even darker. With Thomas out of the picture, Brian and Jessie's romance flourished. And the two decided to meet in person for the first time. Brian planned to drive to West Virginia.But Jessi texted him at the last moment to cancel. Somehow Thomas had learned about the couple's plan and his rage at the rejection drove him mad. Just as Brian was leaving work on September 15th, 2006, Thomas sought his revenge against the man he believed had stolen his love from him.Brian was found dead in the parking lot where both men worked, with three bullet wounds from a military rifle. During the ensuing investigation, Thomas and Brian's coworkers told police about the internet love triangle.

Mary Shyla


The police worried, that if Thomas was capable of killing Brian, that he might also hurt Jessi. But when they tracked her down to see if she was all right, they discovered a shocking secret. When police arrived at Jessi's address a woman named Mary Shyla opened the door. Under the pressure of police questioning, 45 year old Mary, revealed a tangled web of deception and lies. She was Jessi. Mary had been catfishing, both Brian and Thomas, just as Thomas had done with her. The photo she used to create her fake online profile were of Mary's own real daughter, Jessi. The real Jessi had no idea that her mother had taken the pictures of her. Never mind was using them to talk to men online. Though Mary had never intended that Thomas would kill Brian, over her online romances. She had played with both men's feelings knowing that she was lying the entire time. 



What's more, it is reported that Mary had a husband of her own, who divorced her shortly after she confessed her secret plot to the police. Thomas was initially charged with second degree murder. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of first degree manslaughter and received a 20 year sentence. Prosecutors attempted to charge Mary with something for her role in the tragic and deadly love triangle. As many believed she had provoked Thomas into his jealous rage, all for a fake online relationship. But she hadn't technically done anything illegal. And so she was never charged. Mary has only spoken publicly once about what she had done, saying, "I just never thought it would go anywhere that it would end, fall off, and that would be the end of it." Reportedly, Mary never apologized for her actions, not even to her daughter who has since cut off contact with her.          

This shocking story was depicted and a documentary in 2009. And in the 2012 film, "Tall Hot Blonde"

Movie Poster 


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