Talina Galloway, 53, abruptly went missing from her Wagoner, Oklahoma, residence nearly two months after sharing a social media post stating that she was infected with coronavirus. Now, her roommate has been identified as a person of interest and investigators believe she played a role in Galloway's disappearance.
Galloway 'Disappears' After Facebook Post
As previously reported by IBT, on April 12, Galloway's roommate Kore Bommeli reported her missing in a complaint filed at the Wagoner County Sheriff's Office. Days before her disappearance, she took to Facebook to say that she believed she had COVID-19. The post stated that she would not go to the hospital, but instead take some time away to deal with it.
"Hey everyone, I'm on Day 9 of this virus, and I am pretty sure it has reached my lungs. Feeling a little raspy and tight," she allegedly wrote in the post.
"I made the decision at the onset that if it got bad enough, I would not go to the hospital. Those of you who know me well know I have DNR orders in my health directive, and I'm not going to let anyone intubate me," she said, before adding that she had made arrangements to spend "some quality alone time" at her favorite hideaway spot near a lake, which she had reserved for the rest of the week.
Galloway also featured on Dateline's "Missing in America" on May 25, and friends and family members said her Facebook post was out of character and she wasn't the type of person to just walk away without informing anyone.
Bommeli Tried to Destroy Evidence
In a press conference held on Wednesday, Wagoner County Sheriff Chris Elliott said Bommeli is now a prime suspect and has been taken into police custody after she was deceptive to investigators about the circumstances leading up to Galloway's disappearance.
According to Bommeli's missing persons report to authorities, she claimed Galloway left home without her purse or wallet. Bommeli had also said Galloway's car was still parked in the driveway.
"As we continued to interview her, we became suspicious that Talina was missing under suspicious circumstances and that Kore had information about the whereabouts of Talina she wasn't being forthcoming with," Sheriff Elliott said.
A white cargo trailer belonging to Galloway was located on Tuesday and Sheriff Elliott said Bommeli lied about the whereabouts of the vehicle. She allegedly attempted to hide the trailer at a friend's house and a storage facility before selling it to a man shortly after Galloway's disappearance and investigators believe the trailer may have played a part.
Talina's driver's license was found cut into pieces inside the storage unit in Edmond, Oklahoma, rented by Bommeli. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) is now examining the trailer for evidence, investigators said. Bommeli is facing charges including destruction of evidence, obstruction, fraud, larceny and an unrelated charge of possession of a firearm after a felony conviction.
Blood Found at Residence
A probable cause affidavit said investigators found what is believed to be blood in the garage and a bedroom of the home Bommeli shared with Galloway. The affidavit provided by the Wagoner County Sheriff's office stated: "A search of Kore's cellular phone shows she was performing internet searches for ways to get blood out of concrete and wood."
