Thomas Montgomery, a 47-year-old married man from Clarence, New York, pleaded guilty to murdering his 22-year-old co-worker, Brian Barrett. Both men were involved in a love triangle with a woman they believed to be an 18-year-old girl named "Jessi," who was actually the mother of the real girl, engaged in online deception. Directed by Barbara Schroeder, *Talhotblond* recounts this tragic story of manipulation and violence stemming from an internet relationship.

Deep Dive

Why Watch

Meet Thomas Montgomery, the man behind the murder.
Find out about the catfishing plot by Mary Shieler.
See the real-life consequences of online deception.

Did You Know

Thomas Montgomery was 47 years old when he murdered Brian Barrett, who was 22.
Mary Shieler was catfishing as her daughter Jessi without her knowledge.
The film won the Best Documentary Grand Jury Award at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2009.
A Lifetime movie based on this story aired on June 23, 2012.

Perfect For

True crime enthusiastsInternet safety advocatesFans of psychological dramas

Read full Deep Dive →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who directed the documentary Talhotblond?

Talhotblond was directed by Barbara Schroeder.

What crime did Thomas Montgomery plead guilty to?

Thomas Montgomery pleaded guilty to murdering his 22-year-old co-worker Brian Barrett.

What was the outcome of the Seattle International Film Festival for Talhotblond?

Talhotblond won the 2009 Best Documentary Grand Jury Award at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Awards & Festivals

Seattle International Film Festival

2009 • Official selection

IDFA International Documentary Festival Amsterdam

2009 • Official selection

Awards & Festivals

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

43m

Serial Bride's Deadly Game - Deadly Women

2024•43m

Tasha's double life leads to bigamy and the murder of Mitch, while Elisha's rage and Raminda's love triangle culminate in deadly outcomes.

Serial Bride's Deadly Game - Deadly Women

2024

43m

Seducing to Kill - Deadly Women

2024•43m

Discover chilling stories of deadly women who use beauty to manipulate and kill.

Seducing to Kill - Deadly Women

2024

46m

Twisted Secrets Unveiled: The Mysterious Death of Katy Briscoe

2023•46m

A 19-year-old babysitter is brutally murdered by a man who used fake social media identities to gain her trust.

Twisted Secrets Unveiled: The Mysterious Death of Katy Briscoe

2023

45m

Tragic Schoolgirl Fantasy - Deadly Women

2023•45m

Chilling cases of deadly women reveal how forbidden love can lead to family massacres, lethal online affairs, and hidden lives of murderers.

Tragic Schoolgirl Fantasy - Deadly Women

2023

46m

Murder For Clout?: The Deadly Plot Of A Social Media Star

2023•46m

Two women are attacked in a clothing store, resulting in one death and a survivor who later faces charges for staging the crime for social media fame.

Murder For Clout?: The Deadly Plot Of A Social Media Star

2023

44m

Teen Love Turns Deadly - Deadly Women

2024•44m

Teenage jealousy leads to tragic violence in the cases of Bernadette Protti's murder of Kirsten Costas and Kelly Fuller's obsession with Jessica Lang.

Teen Love Turns Deadly - Deadly Women

2024

43m

Revealing Psychopathic Lies - Deadly Women

2024•43m

Cases of women involved in deceitful and psychopathic behavior, including murder plots and fraudulent schemes, illustrate the deadly consequences of betrayal.

Revealing Psychopathic Lies - Deadly Women

2024

9h40m

Fatal Female Killers

2025•9h40m

A 12-year-old girl in Medicine Hat, Alberta, becomes a murder suspect after her family is found dead in a gruesome scene in 2006.

Fatal Female Killers

2025

44m

Social Media Unravels a Crime - Copycat Killers

2024•44m

Sheila Eddie and Rachel Cha were arrested for the murder of their friend Skylar Neese after police found blood evidence in Sheila's trunk.

Social Media Unravels a Crime - Copycat Killers

2024

43m

Heartbreak to Homicide - Deadly Women

2024•43m

Shirley Turner's obsession with Andrew Bagby, along with Allison Miller's fatal affair and Gina Spann's greed, illustrates the deadly consequences of intense emotional connections.

Heartbreak to Homicide - Deadly Women

2024

44m

A Perfect Life Hiding a Deadly Secret

2026•44m

Sheila Davalloo, a seemingly successful professional, was linked to the brutal murder of Anelisa Raymundo through DNA evidence and a pattern of violence.

A Perfect Life Hiding a Deadly Secret

2026

45m

His Brain was 'scattered like blackberries' | Case of Scott Wilkinson

2024•45m

Scott Wilkinson's murder in Walton-on-Thames prompts an investigation into the critical evidence collection process by forensic teams and detectives.

His Brain was 'scattered like blackberries' | Case of Scott Wilkinson

2024

Explore Talhotblond

Trailer Awards Deep Dive Topics FAQ Stream

Browse more like this

43m

Serial Bride's Deadly Game - Deadly Women

2024•43m

Tasha's double life leads to bigamy and the murder of Mitch, while Elisha's rage and Raminda's love triangle culminate in deadly outcomes.

Serial Bride's Deadly Game - Deadly Women

2024

No digital watch option in your country

43m

Seducing to Kill - Deadly Women

2024•43m

Discover chilling stories of deadly women who use beauty to manipulate and kill.

Seducing to Kill - Deadly Women

2024

No digital watch option in your country

45m

Tragic Schoolgirl Fantasy - Deadly Women

2023•45m

Chilling cases of deadly women reveal how forbidden love can lead to family massacres, lethal online affairs, and hidden lives of murderers.

Tragic Schoolgirl Fantasy - Deadly Women

2023

No digital watch option in your country

46m

Murder For Clout?: The Deadly Plot Of A Social Media Star

2023•46m

Two women are attacked in a clothing store, resulting in one death and a survivor who later faces charges for staging the crime for social media fame.

Murder For Clout?: The Deadly Plot Of A Social Media Star

2023

No digital watch option in your country

43m

Revealing Psychopathic Lies - Deadly Women

2024•43m

Cases of women involved in deceitful and psychopathic behavior, including murder plots and fraudulent schemes, illustrate the deadly consequences of betrayal.

Revealing Psychopathic Lies - Deadly Women

2024

No digital watch option in your country

9h40m

Fatal Female Killers

2025•9h40m

A 12-year-old girl in Medicine Hat, Alberta, becomes a murder suspect after her family is found dead in a gruesome scene in 2006.

Fatal Female Killers

2025

No digital watch option in your country

44m

Social Media Unravels a Crime - Copycat Killers

2024•44m

Sheila Eddie and Rachel Cha were arrested for the murder of their friend Skylar Neese after police found blood evidence in Sheila's trunk.

Social Media Unravels a Crime - Copycat Killers

2024

No digital watch option in your country

43m

Heartbreak to Homicide - Deadly Women

2024•43m

Shirley Turner's obsession with Andrew Bagby, along with Allison Miller's fatal affair and Gina Spann's greed, illustrates the deadly consequences of intense emotional connections.

Heartbreak to Homicide - Deadly Women

2024

No digital watch option in your country

44m

A Perfect Life Hiding a Deadly Secret

2026•44m

Sheila Davalloo, a seemingly successful professional, was linked to the brutal murder of Anelisa Raymundo through DNA evidence and a pattern of violence.

A Perfect Life Hiding a Deadly Secret

2026

No digital watch option in your country

45m

His Brain was 'scattered like blackberries' | Case of Scott Wilkinson

2024•45m

Scott Wilkinson's murder in Walton-on-Thames prompts an investigation into the critical evidence collection process by forensic teams and detectives.

His Brain was 'scattered like blackberries' | Case of Scott Wilkinson

2024

No digital watch option in your country

1h54m

The Tinder Swindler

2022•1h54m•★7.0TMDB

Simon Leviev swindled an estimated $10 million from victims across the globe by posing as a wealthy diamond heir on Tinder.

The Tinder Swindler

2022

1h22m

Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare

2024•1h22m•★6.7TMDB

Ten years of deception unfold as Kirat navigates an online romance that leads to emotional turmoil and the dangers of catfishing.

Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare

2024

My Online Nightmare

2017•1h•★5.4TMDB

More than 80 minutes of real-life stories reveal how online scammers exploit vulnerabilities, leading victims into dangerous and often deadly situations.

My Online Nightmare

2017

1h36m

Caught in the Net

2022•1h36m•★7.9TMDB

Three actresses pose as adolescent girls on social media, leading to multiple arrests of sexual predators after the film's release.

Caught in the Net

2022

42m

I Dated a Psycho

2013•42m•★6.0TMDB

Women recount their experiences with men who hid dangerous secrets, while experts highlight warning signs of abusive behavior in relationships.

I Dated a Psycho

2013

1h23m

Why Did You Kill Me?

2021•1h23m•★5.9TMDB

After the murder of 24-year-old Crystal Theobald, her family uses social media to track down her killers and seek justice.

Why Did You Kill Me?

2021

1h30m

Lover, Stalker, Killer

2024•1h30m•★6.8TMDB

A mechanic's online dating turns deadly with a female stalker.

Lover, Stalker, Killer

2024

1h17m

Slender Man Stabbing: The Untold Story

2019•1h17m•★5.0TMDB

On May 31, 2014, two Wisconsin girls stabbed their friend Payton Leutner multiple times to prove their loyalty to the fictional character Slender Man.

Slender Man Stabbing: The Untold Story

2019