Cyber Love Triangle Fuels Murder

March 19, 2010— -- Thomas Montgomery, a 46-year-old balding husband and father of two (screen name: Marinesniper) had lied to beautiful 18-year-old Jessi (Screen name: Talhotblond) for more than a year.

Pretending to be a handsome 18-year-old Marine, he won her heart in cyberspace and, even though they had never met face to face, proposed marriage.

But it all came undone when his wife found a trove of love letters and sent Jessi a photograph of her husband and his family.

A furious Jessi then became involved with Montgomery's young co-worker and former friend Brian Barrett (screen name: Beefcake) -- a 22-year-old college student, studying to be a teacher. Like Jessi, he enjoys sports. Unlike Montgomery, he is real.

"He's honest, he wasn't a liar like you were," Montgomery said Jessi told him. "He's closer to my age."

Jessi began sending Barrett the same photos she'd previously sent Montgomery, along with cards that revealed deepening feelings: "My sweet Brian, I love you"

Montgomery became crazed with jealousy. "Brian will pay in blood," Montgomery instant messaged Jessi at one point.

His messages became increasingly violent, as he was forced to watch their romance blossom in the same chat rooms he used to frequent with Jessi.

"He was enraged," said former prosecutor Ken Case. " I mean, it oftentimes shocked me when I saw the names that he would call her."

Marinesniper: u r nothing and will be nothing but a lying whore

Jessi and Berrett took to the Internet to make sure everyone knew Montgomery (who recently had a birthday) was a liar.

"They were then going into these chat rooms, and letting people know that he was actually 47 years old," said Case. "They almost made him out to be a pedophile."

But the IMs that came from Talhotblond showed her to be torn --- mad one instant, desperate to return to a love with a man who she knew didn't exist ... teasing him.

She continued her talking to Montgomery online:

Talhotblond: i ache to be with tommy
Talhotblond: do you miss it tom
Marinesniper: more then u will ever know
Marinesniper: my heart aches to hear you call me your tommie
Marinesniper: i wish i could be that 19 yr old marine for u
Talhotblond: i know tom
Marinesniper: coming for u to run away with him
Talhotblond: omg