Terrifying & True | The Murder of Brian Barrett: TalHotBlond and the Internet Love Triangle Murder
Terrifying & True | The Murder of Brian Barrett: TalHotBlond and the Internet Love Triangle Murder  
Podcast: Weekly Spooky | Scary Stories for Spooky Season
Published On: Mon Jul 20 2026
Description: The murder of Brian Barrett became one of the most disturbing true crime cases of the early internet age: a deadly online love triangle built on catfishing, fake identities, chatroom deception, jealousy, and obsession.In 2006, 22-year-old Brian Barrett was shot and killed outside Dynabrade Corporation in Clarence, New York, near Buffalo. At first, the murder seemed almost motiveless. Brian was a college student, athlete, Little League coach, and future teacher with no obvious enemies. But investigators soon uncovered a digital trail involving Pogo chatrooms, Yahoo instant messages, online romance, and a username that would become infamous: TalHotBlond.This episode of Terrifying & True investigates the real story behind the Brian Barrett murder, the TalHotBlond case, and the online deception that led to violence. Thomas Montgomery, a 46-year-old married father, had been posing online as an 18-year-old Marine sniper named Tommy. Mary Shieler, a 45-year-old mother in West Virginia, was posing as her own teenage daughter, using the girl’s photos and voice to maintain the fantasy. Brian Barrett entered the situation as himself — a real 22-year-old man caught between two adults hiding behind fake ideAs the lies unraveled, Montgomery became consumed by jealousy, humiliation, and obsession. The online rivalry moved from Pogo games and instant messages into the workplace, where Brian and Thomas both worked. Then, on September 15, 2006, Brian walked to his pickup truck after his shift and was ambushed with a .30-caliber rifle.We examine the evidence against Thomas Montgomery, the DNA on the peach pit, the missing rifle, the chat logs, the TalHotBlond deception, Mary Shieler’s role, and why the case became known as the internet love triangle murder. But at the center of the story is not a screen name, a scandal, or a twist. It is Brian Barrett — a son, brother, friend, coach, student, and future teacher whose life was stolen by obsession.We’re telling that story tonight.🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!Twitter: @WeeklySpookyFacebook: facebook.com/WeeklySpookyEmail: WeeklySpooky@gmail.com🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !👨‍💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com