When catfishing turns to murder

The Murder of Brian Barrett

MarineSniper was 46-year old Thomas Montgomery, a married father of two. In 2005, posing as a young, handsome Iraq-bound Marine, he entered a teen chat room the popular game site "Pogo."

When 18-year-old Talhotblond (Being Mary Sheiler a woman in her 40’s but using her daughters name Jessi and images) started instant-messaging him.

This lead to a full blown romance. It all fell apart a few short months later. One of his daughters was using the computer when a chat from Jessi popped up. She showed her mother and everything was revealed. His wife thought he was actually speaking with an 18 year old so she wrote Jessi a letter outing him.

Jessi was seemingly heartbroken so she reached out to one of MarineSniper’s coworkers (Thomas Montgomery.

This was 22 year old Brian Barrett, he confirmed that Thomas Montgomery was 46 year old man. Brian comforted Jessi (catfish) and started a relationship which angered Thomas Montgomery.

Brian and Jessi decided they would meet up on and that was the tipping point for Montgomery.

On September 15, 2006, Brian Barrett was leaving work when he was shot to death in the parking lot.

Everyone knew how jealous Montgomery was so the police figured it out quickly. They were worried about Jessi so they went to her house and found Mary Sheiler.

They figured out that it was Mary catfishing but she technically did nothing wrong. Her husband divorced her and her daughter went to live with relatives.

Thomas Montgomery was sentenced to 20 years in jail.

Catfishing can come with bad consequences. What do you all think?

Sources:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/online-love-triangle-deception-end-murder/story?id=14371076

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/web-user-sentenced-for-killing-online-rival-1.636158

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Canuckle · 51-55, M

I can see it happening.

iamonfire696 · 41-45, F

@Canuckle Definitely isn’t unrealistic when it’s so rampant on social media.

Like I mentioned before. You dangle the fantasy of a young beautiful women in front of a man who is unhappy in his marriage and with his life. He has this escape and maybe even thinks there is a chance they can be together.

When it all blows apart he’s lost that escape/fantasy. In this case that jealousy led to murder.

Canuckle · 51-55, M

@iamonfire696 yes I totally agree with your comment, but also add the angle of a untreated persons with a mental illness. They can lose touch with reality and drawn into greater depths of belief and lose themselves in the process.

iamonfire696 · 41-45, F

@Canuckle I completely agree with you. There are people on this website that I could see this happening too.

Canuckle · 51-55, M

@iamonfire696 it’s very true. I can very well see it happen here. I always wondered how many people took a wrong turn due to EP. I can see if a person doesn’t manage things self harm or other harm is of great potential.

iamonfire696 · 41-45, F

@Canuckle the internet can be filled with very supportive people but it’s also filled with very hurtful and damaged people.

Hurt people do exactly that, they hurt others. I have experienced it myself here and I have seen it happen to many others.

This happened 17-18 years ago and now catfishing is even more prominent than it’s ever been.