- [Narrator] What is up EWU Crew? Today, we are taking a
look at three more cases that have unexpected or shocking twists. Some of these stories are so bizarre, you just might not believe they are real, but they are all true. Let's get into it. In today's first 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. 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. 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. 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 Bryan,
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" In 2007, Ron Williamson met 83 year old, retired air force general, Jack Rains, while at a free market in
Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Jack had retired from the U.S Air Force, after 32 years of service after which he worked as
the Woodbury's police chief. And as a state trooper. Though he lived with his
wife at a nursing home, Jack became friendly with the entire Williams and
family for over four years. He was frequently invited
to their family gatherings. During holidays, spent
time with Ron's children and went to cookouts at their house. Ron's wife, 39 year old Tina, especially hit it off with Jack. And the two became instant friends. Tina and Jack eventually
went into business together, where they bought and sold used cars. Because of their work together, the two opened a joint checking account. Jack and Tina spent large
amounts of time together and grew incredibly close. On August 31st, Tina was
picked up at her home by Jack and the two went for breakfast together and ran some errands before
he once again dropped her off. The next day on September 1st, Ron and Tina went to
visit Jack at his home. As soon as they arrived, they
realized something was off. They had a key to the house
and let themselves in. Inside, they found Jack dead, sitting at his kitchen table, in his underwear and undershirt. Ron reported the murder to the police, telling them that it looked
like there had been a robbery. It was uncovered that Jack had likely died the day before he was
found, on August 31st. Jack had been shot multiple times including five gunshot wounds, directly to the back of his head. Investigators soon realized that the crime scene had been staged to resemble a robbery, but there was no evidence
of a forced entry and many valuable items
were still in the house. Police soon had a suspect in mind for the gruesome and
shocking murder, Tina. She was arrested on December 4th. The police were alerted
to her as a suspect, because of her strange
behavior after Jack's death, especially considering how
close the two of them had been. Tina was arrested on the
basis that she owned a gun that matched the bullets
used to kill Jack, but there was no physical
evidence such as fingerprints to tie Tina to the crime scene. However, just before her
arrest, a witness came forward with evidence of their own Betty Olson. Tina's close friend had
been contacted by detectives when they saw that she
had been called by Tina, following the time that Jack had died. She told detectives that on August 31st she picked Tina up a block
away from where Jack lived. The investigators had Olsen contact Tina so that they could secretly
record their interactions. In the recordings, Tina told
Olsen not to tell the police about giving her a ride
and that she was worried about her location being
pinpointed by her cell phone. Tina also revealed that she was glad that the detectives who spoke to her hadn't discovered the $4,600 cash that she had in her purse at the time. Tina also told Olson that
if she had killed someone Tina would cover for her. These recordings and Olsen's
eye witness testimony, were used to paint a picture of Tina as a heartless murderer during her trial. But her defense claimed that she had no motive to kill Jack. Evidence sooner rose that
on the day that he died Jack took out $489 from
their shared account. And then later the same
day, Tina took out $1,500 before she deposited $1,900
in her own bank account. Not only that, but Jack
also had left Tina $100,000 which she cashed out only
a week after he died. One bank employee said that they had observed Tina
shaking uncontrollably. Tina later stated that
the money he left her, wasn't for her to go and spend but to be set aside, in case he wasn't able
to care for himself, because he was in his eighties. Tina claim that Jack
intended her to be the one to ensure he was cared for, though he had a living wife and son, at the time of his death. After searching Tina and Ron's house many of Jack's possessions were discovered including his military
records, his blank checks and the title to his car in the joint checkbook
he shared with Tina, which had a spot of blood on it. However, it was during the trial that a shocking twist was asserted. The prosecution alleged that
Tina and Jack's relationship went beyond their business together. And that the two had become
romantically involved despite the 45 year age
difference between them. Addressing the claim, Tina said, "I loved him as anyone
would their grandpa. He was part of our family." Tina continually denied, ever
having an affair with Jack but DNA evidence seemed
to prove otherwise. Jack's underwear contained
traces of Tina's DNA, which implied their relationship
was much more intimate than she ever admitted. Furthermore, a witness, Jerry Kirby, came forward and said that he had seen Tina hug and
kiss Jack on the mouth. He said, I thought it was awfully funny an older man like that. Another witness Jack Simon,
said that Jack called Tina his girlfriend, Tina
claims that she is innocent that she was never in a
relationship with Jack. Despite this in December of 2007 Tina was convicted by a jury for second degree murder, felony murder, a murder committed during another crime and aggravated robbery. As the judge read her
sentence, which was life plus 20 years, totaling a
whopping 71 years in prison. Tina reportedly collapsed and hit her head against the floor of the courtroom. In the year 2065, Tina will
be able to seek parole, making her 96 years old at the
time she could be released. Our next case for you, is about police Lieutenant,
Charles Joseph Gliniewicz. Charles was a married father
of four, in Fox Lake Illinois. The 52 year old was incredibly
popular in his community and went by the nickname GI Joe. He was described as a tattooed and caring role model for many young people in the community, who wanted to go into law enforcement. His youth mentorship program, was called the Explorers Program. On September 1st, 2015 at 7:52 AM. Charles radioed his dispatch, that he was in pursuit of three men at an abandoned cement plant in Fox Lake. He requested backup,
which arrived at 08:09. The responding officers
discovered Charles' dead body in a mush 50 yards from his vehicle. He had been shot twice, one bullet piercing his cell
phone and ballistic vest, with the second hitting
him in the upper chest, which likely killed him. There were also bruises
and scrapes on his head which looked like he
had been in a struggle. It was believed that he had been murdered by the three unknown attackers. The officers searched the swampy area and found Charles' radio,
taser and pepper spray, all spread through the marsh. But his gun wasn't uncovered
until over an hour later, though it was only three
feet from his body. Through an autopsy, it
was later discovered that the murder weapon
used to kill Charles was his own 40 caliber
semi-automatic handgun. Following Charles's death, an enormous manhunt began to find and apprehend
the men who had killed such a beloved and respected officer. Over 400 officers and volunteers were part of the search, on foot in cars helicopters on horseback and operating drones. Charles's case gained national attention. And the ATF and FBI became involved. The first lead came the day
following Charles his death. When a woman named Kristin
Kiefer called to tell officers that while she was on
the side of the road, in Volo, Illinois, she had been approached by two men from a corn field. She said that the men
tried to steal her car and she escaped by running away. Roadblocks, the canine
unit and three air units totaling almost 100 officers were set up, to find the men. After days of searching, Kiefer admitted that she had
lied about the entire story. And she was promptly arrested
and charged with two counts of disorderly conduct for
falsifying, a police report. Fox Lake held a vigil for Charles, where his grieving family
spoke and thanked everyone for their determination
to catch Charles' killers. The following day, the Chicago Bears played a tribute to Charles. The Illinois, governor Bruce Rauner had all of the state's
flags lowered to half staff, to honor Charles. His funeral was attended by thousands from across the country. Many of whom were other officers the procession spanned 18 miles long and thousands of viewers
took to the streets to watch. After so much publicity
following Charles's death, those tasked to find his killers were more determined than ever. Over 125 officers were on
the case for multiple weeks, working for almost 25,000 hours. However, not everyone was
convinced by the story that three men had overpowered
and killed Charles. One man in particular took issue with how the evidence of the crime scene, was being interpreted. Joseph Battaglia, a
former Chicago officer, took it upon himself to start
contacting police agencies and the media to tell them that he thought Charles
intentionally shot himself. After two months of
continuing investigation a shocking twist was revealed. Charles hadn't been murdered at all. Instead he had staged an
elaborate crime scene, to make it look as though he
had died in the line of duty, to cover up the fact that
he had shot himself twice, but this was just the beginning
of the shocking revelations. Charles had been embezzling
tens of thousands of dollars from the Fox Lake
police Explorer program. He had used the money to
pay for his own mortgage, travel, gym memberships and
subscriptions to adult websites. He also used the money to
stockpile military gear, including Kevlar,
helmets, radios, gas masks and hundreds of gun belts. But that's not all, disturbing occurrences were
uncovered involving harassment, suspensions, alcohol abuse and an incident where Charles threatened an emergency dispatcher with a gun. Eventually over 6,500 text messages that Charles had deleted were recovered, which showed that he had intended to take out a village
administrator named Anne Marrin, who had started an audit
of his explorers program. Her audit would have
uncovered his embezzling. Allegedly Charles had even
contacted a prominent gang member to kill Marrin for him. Small packages of cocaine
were found in his desk which investigators believe, he had used to attempt to frame
Marrin as a drug criminal, before she could expose him. Marrin, later commented, "When I heard he was concerned that I was asking tough questions about the Explorer program. It only confirmed to me that
asking the tough questions was the absolute right thing to do." However, she has shared that she had no idea
about his sinister plot and the extreme links he
was planning to go to, in order to get rid of her. When Charles believed that his crimes were about
to be brought to light he faked his own murder in the hopes to keep it all a secret. All tributes to Charles were removed and his wife melody, was taken to court over money laundering,
though she pled not guilty. Her trial is still pending in 2021. The public's outpouring of grief over Charles's death, quickly turned to horror at his betrayal. The task force commander in charge of the bizarre investigation has lamented, "Gliniewicz, committed
the ultimate betrayal. This is my first time as a law enforcement officer in my career that I felt ashamed by the acts
of another police officer." In the end, it is reported
that the first three weeks of this wild goose chase alone, cost taxpayers more than $300,000 to pay law enforcement
working on the case. Much of this substantial
costs stemming from overtime. Charles' memory went from being a celebrated hero to a criminal. A sign with his picture
was defaced with the words, "forgotten, lied, stole, disgraced." Each of these three shocking cases show that there's always
another layer to every story even if it can seem unbelievable.
