An Oklahoma social media influencer was killed in a murder-suicide by her estranged husband after she used a popular TikTok trend to accuse him of pedophilia, police reported.
Sara Gilson, 43, was fatally shot on July 23 by Jeremiah 'Shawn' Duffey, 48, when he broke into her Owasso home, according to authorities.
Accusations and Protective Orders
The incident followed a TikTok video Gilson posted on July 11. In the video, employing a "Netflix documentary" trend, she alluded to her husband's alleged crimes, stating, "Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon to be ex husband who I just found out is a pedophile." She added in the caption, "I wish I was joking." The video garnered over six million views.
According to a protective order filed on June 10 by the mother of a 15-year-old girl, Duffey, who coached a youth basketball team, was allegedly seen kissing and touching the minor. The filing states that another coach witnessed the interaction.
Gilson had previously filed for protective orders against Duffey in 2021, but they were dismissed because she did not appear in court. On June 10, the same day the protective order was filed by the minor's mother, Gilson also filed for an emergency protective order against Duffey, alleging he possessed a gun, had threatened suicide, and was "on the run."
A judge ordered Duffey to stay 100 yards away from Gilson, and the protective order was extended through August 24. The protective order filed by the schoolgirl's mother also named Duffey, detailing allegations of inappropriate behavior, including sending the girl messages, inviting her to a hotel room during a tournament, and offering her money for her silence. Duffey was not arrested or charged with any crime related to these allegations before his death.
Final Days and Fatal Encounter
In the days leading up to her death, Gilson posted two more videos on TikTok, one with a friend on a boat captioned, "Everyone talks about romantic love, but no one talks about how female friendships literally save your life." Another clip shared days later showed her on a yacht with the caption, "May whatever the f*** that was never find me again."
Authorities stated that Duffey broke into Gilson's home and shot her before turning the gun on himself. Gilson, a mother of two, was described by loved ones in a GoFundMe as an "incredible mom" whose loss has left her community grieving, particularly her children.