Oklahoma influencer Sara Gilson described the “best weekend of her life” in a July 3 Instagram post, less than three weeks before she was killed in an apparent murder-suicide by her estranged husband. Gilson, 43, was pictured smiling and enjoying time with friends during a vacation to Miami.
Police allege that on July 23, Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey, 48, killed Gilson at her Owasso home before taking his own life. Dispatch audio from the incident reportedly captured a “woman screaming” followed by a “loud bang.”
More than a week prior to the deaths, on July 11, Gilson publicly identified her basketball coach husband as a pedophile in a TikTok video. The day before that video, the mother of a 15-year-old girl had filed a protective order against Duffey, accusing him of kissing and inappropriately touching the player on his youth basketball team. Court documents reviewed by The Oklahoman state the mother claimed Duffey had also invited the girl to his hotel room during a tournament and offered her money to remain silent.
Gilson and Duffey had been estranged for at least a month before the accusations surfaced. On June 10, Gilson had filed for an emergency protective order against Duffey, stating that he possessed a gun, had made suicide threats, and had “went on the run.” The order was granted, mandating Duffey leave the family home and maintain a 100-yard distance from Gilson. This protective order was extended on June 23 and was set to remain in effect through Aug. 24.
Kelsi Lard, a friend of Gilson and a cosmetic tattoo artist, stated she was with Gilson on July 23, the day she died. "Her last day, she was happy. As always, she was cracking jokes and making me laugh," Lard, 36, told PEOPLE. "I don’t want her life to be diminished into what happened in the end. She brought so much joy to all of us, and I’ll miss her every day."
Lard also shared a photograph of herself and Gilson on Instagram, reflecting on their 23 years of friendship. She added that Gilson and her children had been "failed" by the justice system. A GoFundMe page established to support Gilson's two children has raised over $30,000 toward its $35,000 goal.