The WEB allows the crazies to find each other and here is a fine example.

[Troke]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ous-rival.html

BOTH posing as teenagers... before torrid romance drove Sunday school teacher to murder 'rival' over woman who didn't EXIST

Thomas Montgomery began an unplanned online affair with a girl he believed was 18-years-old called 'Jessi'
Montgomery told 'Jessi' he was an 18-year-old Marine
When Montgomery's wife discovered the affair she sent 'Jessi' a photo of her 46-year-old husband and their two children
'Jessi' broke off the affair and began a new one with Montgomery's 22-year-old co-worker Brian Barrett
Montgomery became so jealous he shot and killed Barrett
It turned out 'Jessi' was in fact a 45-year-old woman called Mary Shieler who used her own daughter's pictures to send to men online

By James Nye

PUBLISHED: 16:15 EST, 23 June 2012 | UPDATED: 01:00 EST, 24 June 2012

The chance encounter online between a gorgeous young 18-year-old girl named Jessi and a handsome 18-year-old marine called Thomas Montgomery seemed on the surface to be innocent enough.

However, what Jessi, whose online name was Tallhotblonde, didn't know was that her 'sweet sexy Marine' was actually a 46-year-old married father of two from Clarence, in upstate New York.

And what Montgomery didn't know until it was too late was that the beautiful girl who sent him underwear and promised marriage was in fact a 45-year-old woman called Mary Shieler who lived in Oak Hill, West Virginia.

46-year old Thomas Montgomery began a spiraling online affair which led to him murdering a love rival and discovering his alleged 18-year-old lover was in fact a 45-year-old woman

46-year old Thomas Montgomery began a spiraling online affair which led to him murdering a love rival and discovering his alleged 18-year-old lover was in fact a 45-year-old woman

When Tallhotblonde began instant messaging Montgomery on a gaming chat room site, the Sunday School teacher was concerned about how it would look if he replied.

Intrigued by the flirtatious nature of the messages and the beautiful profile pic the girl called 'Jessi' had, Montgomery decided to use the anonymity of the Internet and message her back pretending to be 18 too.

Before long the messaging became romantic, but it ultimately led to the unraveling of Montgomery's marriage, the death of a co-worker, his own eventual imprisonment and the shocking twist which haunts him to this day.

Giving himself the moniker 'MarineSniper', Montgomery told 'Jessi' that he was a young, handsome Iraq-bound Marine, while she claimed to be a softball-playing high school senior from West Virignia.

A blurred picture of Jessi Shieler, the 18-year-old daughter of Mary Shieler, who used it under the online name Tallhotblonde

As the pair's online affair intensified, 'Jessi' began to send Montgomery extremely provocative photographs and he sent her a picture of himself from 30 years ago, when he was a member of the U.S. Marines.

'I kept thinking, well, we're never going to meet... I'll just play the game with her,' said Montgomery, whose tragic story has now been turned into a Lifetime Movie directed by 'Friends' Courtney Cox.

The cyber-flirting, which began in May 2005, soon turned to cyber-sex as Montgomery lied about his history of covert ops, even though he never saw action during his stint in the military.

Described by neighbours as a good man who worked for his daughters' swim team board, Montgomery's life slowly started to become fixated around his conversations online with 'Jessi.'

She fed him photos from 'her' high school basketball team, softball team, graduation and prom as their relationship continued for months.

On his part, Montgomery had created an alter-ego of himself as younger and stronger.

'He was my height, six-feet tall, had bright red hair,' said Montgomery to ABC News.

'Big shoulders, muscles and all that.'

Online messages recovered between the lying pair revealed that the relationship had become dangerously obsessive for Montgomery who said it 'became more real to me than real life'.

Thomas Montgomery sent 'Jessi' this picture of himself as 'MarineSniper'. It was in fact picture of himself taken thirty years beforehand

The exchange of gifts between the pair continued as did love letters.

'I love you always and forever, Tommy,' wrote 'Jessi'.

'I have never felt this way,' Montgomery replied.

Wanting to end the affair, Montgomery found he couldn't and described it as like a 'drug'.

It transpired that Mary Shieler was taking pictures of her daughter Jessi and passing them off as pictures of herself to Montgomery and other men online

It even seemed that he was losing touch with reality, as a note to himself proved.

'On January 2, 2006 Tom Montgomery (46-years-old) ceases to exist and is replaced by an 18-year-old battle-scarred marine... He is moving to West Virginia to be with the love of his life.'

However, fate caught up with him as his wife Cindy found a package that 'Jessi' had sent to Montgomery which led her to his secret pile of photos, underwear and letters from West Virginia.

Cindy took matters into her own hands and sent a letter back to the sender with a photo of her husband and his family.

The picture that Cindy Montgomery (right) sent 'Jessi' of her family life with Thomas Montgomery

'Let me introduce you to these people,' she wrote.

'The man in the centre is Tom, my husband since 1989... He is 46 years old.'

Horrified, 'Jessi' sent Montgomery a text message ending the affair.

'She sends me a text message and says, she hates me... you should be put in jail for this,' said Montgomery to ABC News.

A vengeful 'Jessi'/Mary Shieler then used the Internet to find a 22-year-old co-worker of Montgomery called Brian Barrett, setting in motion a tragic series of events which led to his murder.

Brian Barrett was a 22-year-old co-worker of Thomas Montgomery and became the object of 'Jessi'/Mary Shieler's affections after she rejected Montgomery


She flirted online with Barrett, who called himself 'beefcake', on open forums for Montgomery to see.

With both men believing that she was the gorgeous young thing in her profile pictures and keepsakes sent to them, the pair engaged in a furious rivalry.

A blurred picture of Jessi Shiebler which her mother Mary sent to Thomas Montgomery when she was flirting online with him

'Brian will pay in blood,' wrote Montgomery at one point to 'Jessi'.

As the messages he sent to 'Jessi' became increasingly unhinged, Montgomery was embarrassed online by Barrett and Shieler as they posted his real age and picture onto forums, making him out to be a pedophile.

Eventually, Barrett decided to visit 'Jessi' even though Shieler had warned him not to.

Montgomery found out about this, became incensed and on September 15, 2006, drove to meet Barrett as he left where they both worked and shot him three times, killing him.

As police responded to the murder, they quickly uncovered the internet love-triangle and when they couldn't find Montgomery, rushed to 'Jessi'.

However, when police arrived at her door they were presented with 45-year-old Mary Shieler.

Telling her what had happened and how they desperately needed to speak to Jessi, Shieler broke down in a wail of tears and confessed her whole elaborate deception of Montgomery and Barrett.

Upon questioning her, they discovered that Jessi was in fact her daughter and the pictures and underwear she had been sending belonged to her 18-year-old.

It was later discovered that Shieler had flirted online, as 'Jessi', with other men too, and once pointed a videocamera up her unaware daughter's skirt for a video she sent to several men with the question, 'guys, do you like it?'

Now 52, Thomas Montgomery is serving 20-years in Attica Prison in New York for the murder of Brian Barrett

Now 52, Thomas Montgomery is serving 20-years in Attica Prison in New York for the murder of Brian Barrett

Jessi had no knowledge of her mother's cyber-life.

When the police apprehended Montgomery for the murder of Barrett they built up a strong case against him having found his DNA at the crime scene and a family photo which showed the gun used to shoot the 22-year-old.

Montgomery pleaded guilty to Barrett's murder and was sentenced to 20-years.

Prosecutors in New York desperately searched for a reason to charge Mary Shieler, but ultimately, could find no law she had broken.

In her defence she claimed that she was keeping Montgomery online so that he couldn't talk to other teenagers.

Shieler has never apologised to her daughter and her husband divorced her and Jessi cut off contact.

Brian Barrett's parents began a petition to for laws to protect against future Mary Shielers.

But there seems to be no suggestion as to what such laws would look like from lawmakers in New York.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1yl6Ku3hd

[Troke]

Damn! The more I read this, the more eerie it gets. Are there a lot of people like this out there? If so, we are doomed.

[packyderms_wife]

Damn! The more I read this, the more eerie it gets. Are there a lot of people like this out there? If so, we are doomed.

Yes unfortunately there are LOTS of people like this out there in the cyberland.

[OddOne]

The Internet is not designed to act as a replacement for real, face-to-face social interaction. This is why.

[Dennis Olson]

On the Internet, no one knows I'm a dog....

[summerthyme]

Brian Barrett's parents began a petition to for laws to protect against future Mary Shielers.

But there seems to be no suggestion as to what such laws would look like from lawmakers in New York.

NO KIDDING!! You CAN'T make laws against everything!! Good GOD... lessee... let's specifically make it illegal to pretend you're your own hot 18 year old daughter (essentially stealing her identity, even including "upskirt pictures"!!!), lying to make someone jealous, and - oh, yeah- pretending you're 30 years younger.

Truthfully, it sounds like the wrong person is in jail. Yes, he was a gullible sucker... but Mary Shieler sounds really dangerous.

And Troke? You're right. We're doomed. Without basic ethics, morals AND common sense, mankind is doomed. I haven't seen an overabundance of ANY of those traits lately

Summerthyme

[Gercarson]

On the Internet, no one knows I'm a dog....

I guess you're right Dennis, I always thought you were a "dawg" - the internet can be very deceiving .

[Michigan Majik]

I watched the movie last night on Lifetime.
Creepy to say the least.

On the internet you can be whoever you want to be. Including a horse, or a dog.

[peekaboo]

The internet is full of some seriously twisted people, just like real life. The only difference is people can say and do things on the net they only wish they had the nerve to do in public.

What I've found interesting on the net is if you watch long enough people show their twisted side that you may not ever see in RL.

[Vicki]

This was very very sad. I agree Mary is very dangerous and shoulda been charged with something. At the very least take away her internet so she doesn't do it to someone else.

[Dennis Olson]

Reminds me of a forum member we had for years, until another member outed her for scamming money from members.


Remember her...?

[packyderms_wife]

This was very very sad. I agree Mary is very dangerous and shoulda been charged with something. At the very least take away her internet so she doesn't do it to someone else.

Yeah I'm left wondering exactly how old her daughter was at the time she stuck a camera up her skirt for snapshots! The woman is a pervert and big time.

K-

[Vicki]

Reminds me of a forum member we had for years, until another member outed her for scamming money from members.


Remember her...?

No I don't, who was it?

[Dennis Olson]

I gave her the first and (so far) only TB2K Golden Troll award....

[Vicki]

I gave her the first and (so far) only TB2K Golden Troll award....

She must of been good at it. lol Glad you caught her Dennis.

[American Rage]

LOL! And people want to know why I don't meet people I talk to online?

[Dennis Olson]

I've met about two dozen tb'ers over the years. WITHOUT EXCEPTION they've been decent, normal people.


I sure miss Mike9or10, may he rest in peace....

[Melodi]

While the Internet can be an amazing place for good people to meet up; often those who are living in rural areas, have unusual hobbies/interests or are disabled; it is also a hot bed of weird relationships. For every couple like my friends going onto their 18th year of marriage after meeting in an early on-line gaming room (and crossing the Atlantic to meet in person) I've known at least one or two other people who got strange obsessions about people they had never met and carried on serious "on-line" affairs with. The former is using the net sort of as a very old fashioned dating service, the sort used by men on the frontier or women in the early colonies - the forum/gaming room/shared hobby space acts as a sort of "courting space" to meet people. After first encounters though, this only works if both people are honest, up front and meet in person as soon as they can (if they are smart in a chaperoned or controlled place like a conference or at least public space).

This is a case of extreme weirdness getting "together" but much more common than murder are the busted marriages and money scams that needy people get caught up in. I had one former friend who was staying up late to have passionate "chats" with a "lover" she was "cheating" on her husband with that she had never met in person; after the divorce, I gather he turned out to be a total jerk when they met. How much wasted time of her life had been invested in that fantasy, her choice and all but seemed pretty bad choice to me.

[fairywell]

Articles like this remind me that seemingly normal people can be just plain crazy.

"In her defence she claimed that she was keeping Montgomery online so that he couldn't talk to other teenagers."

[psychgirl]

Are "places" such as this what is referred to as the Deep Web?.....where people search for nefarious purposes? I've heard of the deep web and it creeps me out thinking such a place exists.

[topcat46]

I watched the movie last night on Lifetime.
Creepy to say the least.

On the internet you can be whoever you want to be. Including a horse, or a dog.

Saw that last night, too, and it was very creepy.

You can also be a cat!

[Rastech]

Friend who was in a wheelchair got talked into going to Finland by a lady he had been chatting with for a very long time, to have hot sauna's and other treatments they give in Finland, and she got him cured enough to get out of his wheelchair, to the point he is able to work again.

Ended up getting married, getting some sort of fluffy dog that seems even bigger than a great dane, travelling lots above the arctic circle, have now moved there for the Northern Lights (and semi precious stones), and are living happily ever after, etc.

There's some really horrible people on the internet, but just like 'off' the internet, they are a very tiny minority.

[BassMan]

Darwin will take care of the actual problems.

I'm more concerned with stories like this being used by the mass-media (and their controllers) to further limit the Internet.

[homecanner1]

Courtney Cox of the NBC "stable" of talent actually helped turn this into a Lifetime soap opera? Not surprised. Its over written to begin with, barely concealing the truth and simply a "news" item planted to promote a made for cable plotline. Women using their daughters for the pupose of fake internet identities are reprehensible. Reminds me of teachers who sleep with their underage male students. Be the person online who you are in meatworld and this demented crap will cease Troke.

[twincougars]

Are "places" such as this what is referred to as the Deep Web?.....where people search for nefarious purposes? I've heard of the deep web and it creeps me out thinking such a place exists.

Darknet. Yup. Keep your guard up there, BUT, you may need it someday to obtain goods or services that are not obtainable otherwise, due to various...ah..."regulations." So now is a good time to get familiar with it. There are lots of honeypots there (entrapment ads), so you have to be very cautious when you do make a deal; use dead drops, etc.

[Double_A]

Troke you aren't trolling for a soulmate are you?

[Vicki]

Troke you aren't trolling for a soulmate are you?

That was funny. lol

I have a couple of friends that met on the net and have been very happily married for quite a number of years. They both told me the same thing though. She said "ya have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince"...lol I told her I'd rather kiss my dog. lol Glad it worked out for them though. The funny thing about their relationship too was they had both been on dating sites for awhile and were trying hard to meet the right person. Yhey kept up their profile and pictures to extreme and both of them said they got tired of the not so great experiences and let their guards down. They started having fun instead and they both were posting pictures of themselves where the other couldn't quite see what the other really looked like. It worked. They finally met and they've been together ever since. A nice ending to a pretty typical story of dating people online.

I personally have met probably a dozen people from online and half of them have been TB members. I can't say I had one bad experience. I wasn't looking for anything but meeting friends and I have made some great friends. You know who you are!

[Norma]

On the Internet, no one knows I'm a dog....

I say we need more dog's like you.

Norma

[Dobbin]

Isn't there a country music song about being a Rock Star on the Internet?

Dobbin

[Dozdoats]

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/catfish-m...0#.T-vDA664Ys0
Inside 'Catfish': A Tale of Twisted Cyber-Romance


By THOMAS BERMAN and GAIL DEUTSCH
Oct. 8, 2010
For Nev Schulman, a 24-year-old New York City photographer who became entangled in a twisted online love affair with the girl of his dreams, it all began innocently enough.

In 2007, Schulman was contacted by an 8-year-old girl named Abby on MySpace. A budding artist from the remote upper peninsula of Michigan, Abby said she'd seen one of Schulman's photographs published in a newspaper months before, and wanted permission to paint it. Weeks later, Schulman received a watercolor rendition of his photograph.

"I was kind of floored," he recalled, describing the young prodigy's work. "We all said, 'Wow, this is great!'"

Schulman sent Abby more of his photographs to paint. With her mother Angela's blessing, the two began to correspond online and Schulman developed a friendship with the entire family.

"I was in a weird place in my life where I didn't have a lot going on ... and it was very flattering," Schulman told "20/20's" Jay Schadler. "She was inspiring me and... it was a really strangely reciprocal kind of give and take."

Schulman was blown away to learn from Angela that local art dealers were bidding on Abby's paintings; one had sold for $7,000.

"It was just so satisfying to feel like I was contributing to some little girl's life," he said.

Watch the full story on "20/20" tonight at 10 p.m. ET

'Catfish': Web of Lies Begin to Unravel Watch Video

'Catfish' Filmmakers Confront 'Megan' Watch Video

Exclusive: Angela's World in 'Catfish' Watch Video

Schulman was flooded with packages filled with Abby's drawings and paintings. That's when Schulman's brother Ariel and friend Henry Joost -- both filmmakers who shot Schulman and their friends hanging around all the time -- said they sensed a story was building.

"That's when I started filming because he would go, 'Pick these packages up, bring them down to the office and slice them open,'" said Ariel. "I thought it would make a cute short film. Simple as that."

The story would become the documentary film "Catfish," a reality thriller that shocked media and moviegoers alike when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Love Affair Starts on Facebook

Within two months, Schulman became Facebook friends with a small throng of Abby's fans, followers and family, including her 19-year-old half-sister Megan. Like Schulman, she was a photographer and he was intrigued by the striking photos of herself which she posted online.

"She was smoking hot, unbelievably sexy ... super beautiful," Schulman said.

Although they were complete strangers, he quickly fell for her.

"I was opening up to Megan in ways that I had not with actual girlfriends that I had had," he told "20/20."

Sexy Text Messages, Passionate Songs Fuel Romance

As part of their virtual courtship, Megan, who was also a talented musician, would write songs for Schulman -- often singing them as duets with her brother and mother, Angela -- and post them on Facebook.

"I would listen and you know, I would melt," he said. "Here's this girl, this beautiful girl, virgin girl in Michigan who's writing me passionate love songs."

The two talked on the phone and exchanged steamy text messages about their attraction.

Megan: My body is craving you tonight

Schulman: What exactly would you do if you had me there?

Megan: Id have you in the tub with me between my legs. Id kiss you on the neck and whisper in your ear begging you to make love to me

Schulman: begging is something you wouldn't have to do ... in fact im willing to bet if anything youd have to beg me to stop

But the closest they had actually come to being together was in a photo Schulman doctored on the computer.
///snip

[Dobbin]

Isn't there a country music song about being a Rock Star on the Internet?

Brad Paisley - Online



Dobbin

[Bumblepuff]

On the Internet, no one knows I'm a dog....

"I do now! Thanks for clearing that up! I saw your avatar thingie and was trying to
connect the dots on my own. Well, that's one mystery solved. I'm not sure about
the horse and the mouse and other animals that post messages in this place. That
might take me longer to figure out because my boyfriend told me some posters are
actually moonbats, but I'm not sure what a moonbat looks like. This is so confusing.
Anyway, I feel a whole lot better! Just for the record, no one knows I'm a blonde."

[Dobbin]

But the closest they had actually come to being together was in a photo Schulman doctored on the computer.

It's kind of amazing when you think of it. Two beings connected by only neurons, sound, electronics could become so attached. Physical presence not even required.

Kind of makes one wonder. Who out there on the 'net has fallen for me? Gosh.

If they're smart they'll keep their distance. Life of an equine is not exactly a bed of roses.

Besides, I'm already imprinted on Owner (or is it visa versa?)

Dobbin

[Troke]

Troke you aren't trolling for a soulmate are you?

Huh? I already got one, put a lot of time (over 50 yrs) and money (You can't imagine the shoes) into her. I'd be an idiot to look elsewhere. Who else knows that I can't stand cooked peas.

[rcstew]

Articles like this remind me that seemingly normal people can be just plain crazy.

"In her defence she claimed that she was keeping Montgomery online so that he couldn't talk to other teenagers."

Wow....I can't believe she even tried that defense. I have met a few people in person that I "met" first online. In every instance they were not any different from their online persona. Then again, I have never dated anyone I met online. My sister in law recently divorced, and has been online dating. She has met some real nuts. We communicate a vast amount of information through non verbal communication and body language. Probably just as much as what is communicated verbally. I have heard of wonderful success stories with online dating, but I think it really is a shot in the dark.

[changed]

"The WEB allows the crazies to find each other." I love this statement. In fact, I used it yesterday.



"The internet is full of some seriously twisted people, just like real life. The only difference is people can say and do things on the net they only wish they had the nerve to do in public.

What I've found interesting on the net is if you watch long enough people show their twisted side that you may not ever see in RL. "

Its called "internet testicles." Its when someone is being an A-hole toward you and saying things to you on the internet that they wouldn't say if you were face to face. That person is said to have internet testicles.


There have been lots of times on TB2K where someone is being a total jerk and I have to just keep telling myself, its only the internt, its only the internet, its only the internet.

[Doc1]

You TB2K people are SO easy to fool! For years, I've built up this elaborate online persona of being a 55 year-old guy with big gut and a motorcycle and everyone's fallen for it. In the meat world, I'm really Brad Pitt...

Best regards
Doc

[Bumblepuff]

What I've found interesting on the net is if you watch long enough people
show their twisted side that you may not ever see in RL. "

Its called "internet testicles." Its when someone is being an A-hole
toward you and saying things to you on the internet that they wouldn't say
if you were face to face. That person is said to have internet testicles.

"When I created the Internet, I had no intention of allowing mentally unstable
people known as 'web crazies' to infest my masterwork with their putrid poppy-
cock, but alas, as Republicans joined the world wide web like herds of drunken
wild elephants stampeding webpages under foot, I could only wring my hands in
exasperation at their folly, for the control of the Internet, my brilliant baby, was
stolen from my hands by the Supreme Court's decision in favor of George Bush!
Grrrr. Anyway, I sincerely apologize for the ballsy idiots with so-called 'Internet
testicles', and I am currently attempting to lobby Congress to pass legislation
to have these troublemakers electronically castrated. Please be patient. I hope
that ISP emasculation will be completed during President Obama's second term."

[Satanta]

You TB2K people are SO easy to fool! For years, I've built up this elaborate online persona of being a 55 year-old guy with big gut and a motorcycle and everyone's fallen for it. In the meat world, I'm really Brad Pitt...

Best regards
Doc

No. I'M Brad Pitt.

[Bumblepuff]

"The creepy purple beetles! The creepy purple beetles!
They crawl all across my body at night! I just have to
find a better place to sleep than that rusty dumpster!"


-------------------------------------------




"Do you know someone like this on the Internet? I want you to help Americans who
are down and out of their minds due to poverty and mental illness. Together we can
pull them out of their depression and give them a brighter future! Please send your
financial contributions to President Obama for his political campaign for re-election
so he can help these poor souls regain hope and trust in his failed policies. Thanks!"