Detailed Summary of "If I Go Missing – Talina Zar E5"

Podcast Title: What Happened to Talina Zar
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Episode: If I Go Missing - Talina Zar E5
Release Date: May 29, 2025

Introduction

The episode "If I Go Missing" delves deeper into the mysterious disappearance of Talina Zar during the COVID-19 lockdown. Host Melissa Jeltson navigates through interviews with Talina's family, particularly her sister Cheryl Jones, and highlights the role of internet sleuths like Jess in unraveling the case. The narrative explores Talina's secret life within the Gorean community, her relationships, and the subsequent investigation into her disappearance.

Talina Zar’s Dual Life and Family Insights

Cheryl Jones' Perspective
Cheryl Jones, Talina's sister, provides a heartfelt glimpse into their upbringing and Talina's secret life. Raised in a strict Pentecostal household in Bloomington and later Washington, Indiana, Talina was known as Jana within the family. However, she harbored a private identity as Talina, deeply involved in the Gorean BDSM community.

• Cheryl on Talina’s Duality:
  "She kept a part of her life private from the family... We just didn’t know the details of the secret." [03:09]

Cheryl recounts their close childhood bond, describing Talina as shy and someone she often stood up for. As adults, their paths diverged—Cheryl pursued a career in nursing and started a family, while Talina remained single, supporting her nieces generously.

The Gorean Community and Talina’s Involvement

Talina was an active member of the Gorean community, a niche BDSM group inspired by the Gorean novels, which depict a strict social hierarchy with men as dominants and women as subservient. For nearly a decade, Talina lived as a 24/7 slave to her husband, Tom (also referred to as Master Zarius), fulfilling his every demand both domestically and sexually.

• Cheryl on Understanding Talina’s Lifestyle:
  "Yes, we kind of got it that it was something along that line." [04:14]

Talina’s commitment to this lifestyle was evident through her online activity and the choices she made in her personal life, including legally changing her name while retaining her birth name, Jana.

Disappearance During the COVID-19 Lockdown

By March 2020, Cheryl and Talina had lost touch due to diverging lives. Talina had moved to Oklahoma and was last in contact with her niece Chantel via Facebook. On March 27, 2020, Talina informed Chantel that she was unwell and needed to rest, marking the last confirmed communication.

• Talina’s Final Messages:
  "I'll catch up with everyone on the other side." [12:35]
  "Couldn't have felt better." [07:04]

Shortly after, Talina ceased all online activity, and attempts to reach her were unsuccessful. Cheryl expresses immediate concern, noting that Talina's disappearance was uncharacteristic.

Investigation and Suspicions

Involvement of Internet Sleuths
Jess, an internet sleuth from Minnesota, becomes a pivotal figure in the investigation. She builds a rapport with Marty, Talina's ex-husband, who appears increasingly unstable and defensive.

• Jess on Marty’s Behavior:
  "He'd become really vulnerable with me. He'd cry." [07:29]

Jess uncovers that Marty had a history of financial misconduct, including stealing from Talina, and suspects his potential involvement in her disappearance. Concurrently, suspicions arise around Corey, another individual in Talina's circle, who was named as the beneficiary in Talina's will shortly before her disappearance.

• Key Quote Highlighting Suspicions:
  "They’ve heard through the grapevine about Corey burning Talina’s mattress, selling her items on eBay. And Corey’s criminal past suggests she’s no stranger to lying and manipulation." [25:48]

Corey's Polygraph Test
Corey undergoes a polygraph test, which yields inconclusive results. Despite volunteering to assist the investigation, discrepancies in her statements and Corey’s suspicious activities raise red flags.

• Polygraph Discussion:
  "The instrument doesn’t lie and it doesn’t dislike you. It just reads your body and tells me you were deceptive on those two questions." [44:07]

Challenges Faced by the Sleuths

Jess faces significant challenges in her investigation, including:

• Manipulative Behavior:
  Jess admits to manipulating contacts to gain information, raising questions about the reliability of her findings.
  "I lied to a lot of people... I just lied my way into their life." [28:31]

• Personal Safety Risks:
  The investigation puts Jess in potential danger, highlighted by threatening messages and unsettling encounters.
  "He sent me his ID and a knife and called me a Gorean slave and said he was going to come get me." [31:03]

• Emotional Toll:
  The relentless pursuit affects Jess’s mental and emotional well-being.
  "The days are becoming blurred... How did this happen?" [30:27]

Evidence and Revelations

Detective Joel Weber's involvement brings new evidence to light, particularly regarding the timeline and discrepancies in Talina's last known activities.

• Forensic Findings:
  At Talina and Corey's house, forensic spray reveals suspicious stains in the garage, but results are inconclusive due to chemical interactions.
  "Bleach is also known to make Blue Star react, so for now, the officers take photos and samples of the floor to be tested for DNA." [41:01]

• Inconsistent Alibis:
  Corey claims to have taken Talina to the hospital, but no records corroborate this, further raising suspicions about her involvement.

• Final Facebook Post:
  Talina's last Facebook post appears fabricated, suggesting Corey may have tampered with her account to mislead investigators.
  "Please respect my privacy and give me my alone time on the lake with Tom." [49:34]

Conclusion and Ongoing Investigation

The episode concludes with heightened tension as suspicions around Corey and Marty deepen. The sleuths remain determined, though exhausted, in their quest to uncover the truth behind Talina's disappearance. The next episode promises to escalate the investigation, potentially leading to significant breakthroughs.

• Cheryl’s Final Thoughts:
  "I am thankful and grateful that I do have someone watching out for me and running the household." [50:27]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Cheryl Jones on Talina’s Secret Life:
  "She kept a part of her life private from the family... We just didn’t know the details of the secret." [03:09]

• Talina’s Final Message:
  "I'll catch up with everyone on the other side." [12:35]

• Jess on Marty’s Vulnerability:
  "He'd become really vulnerable with me. He'd cry." [07:29]

• Corey's Polygraph Test Results:
  "The instrument doesn’t lie and it doesn’t dislike you. It just reads your body and tells me you were deceptive on those two questions." [44:07]

• Jess on Investigation Struggles:
  "My days are spent researching people, connecting dots that may not even be there, and chain smoking... How did this happen?" [30:27]

Final Thoughts

"If I Go Missing – Talina Zar E5" offers a gripping exploration of Talina Zar's mysterious disappearance, weaving together family testimonies, internet sleuth efforts, and investigative breakthroughs. The episode highlights the complexities of dual identities, the impact of secret subcultures, and the relentless pursuit of truth amidst personal and external challenges.

For listeners new to the series, this episode serves as a comprehensive deep dive into the ongoing investigation, setting the stage for future revelations and developments.