Shivangi Sinha
In April 2020, Talina Galloway was reported missing by her roommate, Kore Bommeli, in Wagoner, Oklahoma. Just a few weeks earlier, a cryptic post had appeared on Talina’s social media account claiming that she had contracted COVID-19. The post added that she was scared of being intubated and would not be seeking treatment. Her friends and family became worried after they were unable to contact her and told detectives that the post did not resemble Talina at all. NBC’s ‘Dateline,’ particularly the episode ‘Heartless,’ features the full details of the case, which eventually led to some shocking revelations.
Talina Galloway’s Unusual Social Media Post Triggered Concern for Her Safety
Talina Jana Galloway, also known as Talina Zar, was born on November 3, 1966. There are not many accounts of her childhood, although she is believed to have lived in Indiana for some time. Talina eventually married Alfred “Tom Zarius” Galloway and moved with him to Wagoner, Oklahoma. The two had many friends who were like family to them and had the support of the whole community. Talina herself was known as a warm and kind person who had a smile for everyone. When Alfred passed away in 2017, Talina stayed in Wagoner. She eventually moved into a house with a woman named Kore Bommeli, also known as Kore Adams.
Talina seemed to have a life she was happy with. She had friends who visited her often, and she also took trips to their hometowns. She had a stable job working for Microsoft, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, Talina began working from home. March 27, 2020, was the last time her boss spoke to her and was reportedly the last known conversation Talina had with anyone. On April 7, 2020, a post was made from Talina’s social media profile in which she stated that she had contracted COVID-19. She went on to say that she did not want to be intubated and would not be seeking treatment.
On April 17, 2020, Talina was reported missing by Kore. She said that she had gone out in the morning and, when she returned, Talina was no longer at home. However, the 53-year-old woman’s personal belongings, including her keys, wallet and clothes, were still in the house. In January 2021, police received a report about a freezer found in the woods in Polk County, Arkansas. When officers arrived, they discovered human remains inside, which were later identified as Talina’s. Her death was ruled a homicide, and investigators determined that she had suffered a violent attack that caused multiple fractures before her body was dismembered.
The Pursuit for Talina Galloway’s Killer Led the Detectives to Her Roommate
Since Talina Galloway had no family living close to her, her roommate, Kore Bommeli, became the first person detectives spoke to. Kore had also been given power of attorney over Talina’s medical decisions and was named the executor of her estate. At first, Kore stated that her roommate had left the house to quarantine near a lake because she was afraid of being intubated. She claimed that Talina had taken two guns, her phone, medications and a bottle of alcohol with her and that she had not heard from her since. However, there were not many things that fell into place as the investigation progressed.
According to reports filed by police, they found scraps of a burnt mattress in the backyard of the house that Talina shared with Kore. Investigators believed the mattress was burned around April 15, 2020, two days before Talina was reported missing. They also claimed that the furniture inside the house had been rearranged to make it appear that Talina slept in a different room than she actually did. After speaking with Kore, detectives also found no record of a positive COVID-19 test for Talina. According to court documents, when the house was sprayed with a forensic reagent, large areas of the bedroom and the garage showed signs of having been scrubbed clean.
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The Pieces of Tina Galloway’s Case Came Together When Her Remains Were Found
The police petition also stated that Talina Galloway’s credit card had allegedly been used by Kore to pay one of her own attorneys. The documents further claimed that Kore had allegedly lied about the whereabouts of a trailer and a freezer from the kitchen, both of which were missing when Talina was reported missing. By June 2020, Kore had been named a person of interest in the case. The final evidence in the case appeared to come together on January 14, 2021, when a woman reported finding a white freezer in the woods of Polk County, Arkansas, after noticing a foul odor. Talina’s remains were eventually found inside. The same woman had reportedly seen a truck and a white trailer going into the woods and found it suspicious. After detecting a foul smell and seeing foul liquid at the bottom of the trailer, she informed the police.
Police records stated that detectives believed Kore had lied about her own white trailer and its whereabouts. The trailer had reportedly been sold a few days before Talina was reported missing. A freezer from the kitchen was also believed to be missing from the house the two women shared. Prosecutors working on the case alleged that because Kore was listed as the executor of Talina’s estate, she may have had a monetary motive for the crime. Kore was also a previously convicted felon and was charged with first-degree murder with deliberate intent and desecration of a corpse. Just before her trial, Kore pleaded no contest to an amended manslaughter charge, desecration of a human corpse and possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction. She was sentenced to 35 years behind bars.
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