Overview of Heartless
NBC News’ Dateline episode “Heartless” investigates the disappearance and murder of Talena Galloway, a well-liked IT professional and widow from rural Oklahoma who vanished in spring 2020. What first looked like a tragic COVID-era disappearance became a tangled case involving secret lifestyles, online sleuthing, financial disputes, suspicious Facebook posts, and ultimately a body found hidden in a freezer in Arkansas.
What Happened to Talena Galloway
- Talena, still grieving the death of her husband Tom, became sick during the early days of the COVID pandemic.
- After posting alarming messages on Facebook about being ill and leaving town, she went silent.
- Her roommate and close friend, Corey Bommely, reported her missing only after several days had passed.
- Investigators later determined Talena was likely already dead before the public started searching for her.
The Investigation
Early Suspicions
- Talena left behind important items like her car, purse, wallet, and much of her daily life, which raised immediate questions.
- Corey said Talena had gone to a “favorite hideaway,” but the story felt staged to many friends.
- Friends and amateur internet sleuths began tracking inconsistencies in Talena’s Facebook posts and timeline.
Internet Sleuthing and “Talena’s Army”
- A true-crime fan in Minnesota, Jess Trevino, became obsessed with the strange details and helped launch a Facebook search effort.
- A group of volunteers nicknamed “Talena’s Army” spread the case online and pushed it into wider public view.
- Their digging helped keep pressure on investigators and uncovered possible leads.
The Gorian Lifestyle
- The case took a strange turn when investigators learned Talena and her late husband had been involved in a Gorian lifestyle, a niche dominance/submission subculture inspired by the Gor novels.
- Talena had changed her name legally and had deeper ties to that world than many of her friends knew.
- Marty Angus, also known as Wolfie, emerged as a significant figure in that circle and a possible source of conflict.
Evidence Against Corey
Investigators focused heavily on Corey after finding:
- suspicious Facebook posts that appeared to be created after Talena vanished,
- signs of cleanup at Talena’s home,
- evidence Talena’s bed had been burned,
- a freezer linked to Talena found in Arkansas,
- Talena’s body in that freezer, dismembered and decapitated.
The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide from blunt-force trauma.
Major Twists in the Case
The Arkansas Freezer Discovery
- A woman in Arkansas spotted a strange appliance in the woods.
- Deputies found a freezer containing Talena’s body parts.
- The property, truck, and other details connected back to Corey, including a property she had tried to buy.
The Wisconsin Ricin Case
- Investigators also revisited Corey’s past in Wisconsin, where she had previously been convicted of fraud.
- Her ex-husband accused her of making ricin, and investigators later found castor beans in Talena’s home.
- Corey was later convicted in Wisconsin in 2025 of attempting to poison her neighbors and sentenced to 25 years.
Outcome
- In Oklahoma, Corey later took a no-contest plea and was found guilty of:
- first-degree manslaughter
- desecration of a corpse
- felon in possession of a firearm
- With the Wisconsin sentence added in, her punishment amounted to effectively life in prison.
Lingering Questions and Takeaways
- Although Corey was convicted, the episode makes clear that some questions remain, especially around motive and the role of Marty Angus.
- The story centers on how secrets, control, grief, and online deception can hide violence in plain sight.
- A major emotional theme is Talena’s generosity: friends believe she trusted the wrong people and paid for it with her life.
Core Themes
- Secrets and hidden identities
- The power of online communities in missing-person cases
- Manipulation, control, and financial dependence
- How grief and isolation can make warning signs easier to miss