What Happened to Talina Zar

Jess discovers Talina Zar isn’t the missing Oklahoma woman’s real name, and the meaning of the moniker unlocks a door to a fantasy world ripped from the pages of 1970s pulp fiction — a fictional world where men reign and women serve and a real-life subculture where people try to live according to the principles in the books. Talina may have found her people in this fringe BDSM community, but was there something more sinister hiding among the kink? And did it have something to do with her disappearance?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jess and the sleuths connect with people who knew Talina Zar in real life. As the sleuths begin to formulate a picture of who Talina is, and what might have happened to her, they get the sense that not everyone is telling the truth. At the same time, local police begin their own parallel investigation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jess Trevino lived a quiet life of true crime fandom - until she stumbled upon Talina Zar’s cryptic Facebook post. Isolated because of COVID, Jess assembles an online team of amateur sleuths determined to find out where Talina went. As they get wrapped up in the lives of total strangers, the sleuths discover that the question of What Happened to Talina Zar ? has no easy answers.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s April 2020 and the world is locked down. In Oklahoma, a woman named Talina Zar posts a chilling message on Facebook: she’s sick with COVID and heading to a remote lake, alone — to recover, or to die. Then, she vanishes. As days turn into weeks, strangers online — true crime obsessives with time to kill and nowhere to go — begin digging into her disappearance. What they uncover is something far stranger, and far more disturbing, than they could’ve ever imagined.. In Season Three of What Happened To…, investigative journalist Melissa Jeltsen unravels a mystery born from isolation, obsession, and a pandemic that made everyone feel like a potential suspect.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Libby Caswell is unable to share her experience of domestic violence in her own words.  In this bonus episode, four anonymous women tell their stories of domestic abuse- the details they remember, the ones they wish they could forget, and how they eventually got out.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline for help at 1-800-799-7233.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The nuisance law in Independence, Missouri played a pivotal role in Libby's story. In this bonus episode, hear Melissa's extended conversation with Sandra Park, former ACLU lawyer and current head of the Civil Rights Bureau of the NY State Attorney General’s Office, as they discuss what nuisance laws are, how they're often misused and what's being done about them.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Go behind the scenes on the making of What Happened to Libby Caswell. Host Melissa Jeltsen talks to fellow journalist and podcaster Emma Gray (MSNBC columnist, host of the Love To See It podcast, and co-author of the Rich Text Substack) about what drew Melissa to Libby's case, what she looks for when considering a new investigative project, why she focuses on stories about violence against women, and what she hopes both seasons of What Happened To tell us about how we, as a culture, view women's lives and deaths.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode, a new witness comes forward with details that raise tantalizing questions. Cindy becomes a national advocate for changes in how domestic violence is handled.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Family members defend Libby’s boyfriend and help shed light on his actions over the years.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A forensic expert discovers evidence that upends the official narrative about Libby’s death and points to a coverup. Local police defend their work. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Libby’s mom Cindy hires a private investigator to uncover new clues. Investigative journalist Melissa Jeltsen visits the motel for herself. And Libby’s friends open up about the last week of her life.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We learn more about the secrets in Libby’s life that threatened to endanger it, and the tumultuous cycle that led Cindy to a difficult decision.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investigative journalist Melissa Jeltsen explores Libby’s complicated relationship with her boyfriend and their interactions with police. And, a witness comes forward with a harrowing story.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Libby’s boyfriend is interviewed by police. The medical examiner isn’t sure exactly how Libby died — but the police close the case as a suicide anyway. Libby’s mom, Cindy, questions the official report.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2017, Libby Caswell was found dead in a motel room in Independence, Missouri with her boyfriend’s belt around her neck. Her grieving mom Cindy is left with more questions than answers. Award-winning investigative journalist Melissa Jeltsen digs into the circumstances surrounding Libby’s death.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2017, Libby Caswell was found dead in a motel room in Independence, Missouri. In Season Two of "What Happened To...", investigative journalist Melissa Jeltsen exposes the web of failures that left Libby vulnerable, and explores how her story fits into one of America’s most deadly epidemics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus episode, Melissa talks with Laura Crimaldi — a reporter for The Boston Globe — who is covering a contemporary case with eerie similarities to Sandy Beal.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Beal family is faced with a daunting task that threatens to divide them. Sandy’s final words are cast in a new light. 

If you or someone you know is considering self-harm, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or text "STRENGTH" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sandy’s cousin Kim meets with a cold case detective who offers her something unexpected - and transformative.

If you or someone you know is considering self-harm, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or text "STRENGTH" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Beals' distrust of police leaves even the most basic facts about Sandy's case up for interpretation. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.