Thomas Montgomery: Bizarre Love Triangle

By Kristal Hawkins

Heating Up

The three exchanged heated messages. Barrett and Jessi accused Montgomery of being a child predator. They managed to get him banned from some of the message boards they frequented. Jessi gave Barrett her password, and this normally nice guy masqueraded as Jessi online to taunt Montgomery from her accounts, and Barrett flaunted both his relationship with Jessi and Montgomery's imposture at the factory.

Brian Barrett

In his still-ongoing emails to Jessi, Montgomery hinted he was suicidal; she softened a little. She even told him that she'd dump Barrett. She did, briefly. It happened to be when Barrett was making that trip to North Carolina. He'd hoped to visit her on the way, but she wouldn't let him. With Barrett on the backburner, Montgomery forgave Jessi, but threatened that something bad might happen if he found out she was lying about anything.

She renewed her email romance with Barrett, though, soon after his trip. Montgomery grew increasingly jealous. He started working out and running, trying to look more like the young man he'd claimed to be—or to prepare for something. His manner became so threatening that he frightened his coworkers.

The morning of September 15, the day of Barrett's murder, Montgomery sent Jessi a few Instant Messages via Yahoo. She ignored him. He called and screamed incoherently at her. She hung up on him.

Several times later that night, after the time of the murder, he IM'd Jessi again.