The Internet, a place where you can be whoever you want to be, whether it’s your true identity or an alter ego you’ve made up. For some people, this is chatting in online rooms with different screennames pretending to be their favorite character or someone they admire. In 2005 for a man named Thomas Montgomery it was darker than that. Thomas Montgomery was 46 years old when an 18-year-old under the screenname “TallHotBlond” messaged him. Instead of revealing who he truly was, Thomas pretended to be an 18-year-old marine named Tommy and the pair started their online affair. Eventually, their affair would leave someone dead and leave everyone else untangling a web of lies.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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