Influencer Sara Gilson Shot Dead 2 Weeks After Exposing Her Husband

• Sara Gilson, a TikTok creator with over 30,000 followers, posted a video accusing her estranged husband Jeremiah Duffey of child molestation
• Gilson had been granted an emergency protective order against Duffey after police informed her he had been accused of molesting a minor he coached
• Less than two weeks after she went public on TikTok, Gilson was found dead at a home in Collinsville, Oklahoma

Sara Gilson, a 43-year-old TikTok influencer from Oklahoma, was fatally shot on Thursday at a residence in Collinsville. Her estranged husband, Jeremiah Duffey, who used the name Shawn Duffey on social media, has been identified by the Owasso Police Department as the shooter. The deaths of both Gilson and Duffey appear to be a murder-suicide, according to investigators.

Just under two weeks before her death, Gilson posted a video on TikTok, where she had built a following of more than 30,000 people, speaking out about allegations against Duffey. Using a popular trend that parodies Netflix documentary-style interviews, she wrote in her caption:

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"Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon-to-be ex-husband who I just found out is an abuser. I wish I was joking. #plottwist #netflix #documentary."

What led to the TikTok video

The events that prompted her post began on 9 June, when a young girl and her parent reported to police that Duffey, who coached the girl's travelling basketball team, had inappropriately touched her during a school event that evening. A fellow coach witnessed the incident, intervened immediately and alerted the girl's family. Police noted that similar conduct had reportedly been occurring over a long period, across multiple states and law enforcement jurisdictions.

Because the incident took place on tribal land and Duffey was a member of the Osage tribe, the case was referred to the U.S. attorney's office, which took over jurisdiction. Duffey fled and had not been located by police since. On 10 June, after being contacted by police, Gilson applied for and was granted an emergency protective order through the Tulsa County court. Duffey was ordered to remain at least 100 yards from her and her home at all times.

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A mother who fought for her children

On Thursday evening at 11:16 p.m., a 911 dispatcher received a call from the Collinsville address during which a woman could be heard screaming, followed by what sounded like a gunshot. When officers arrived, they found both Gilson and Duffey dead. A boy had called 911 from a neighbour's home shortly after, telling dispatchers that his stepfather had shot his mother. The child was taken into protective custody before being released to another parent not involved in the incident. Gilson is survived by a son and a daughter.

An online fundraiser set up for her children described her as devoted to them above all else:

"Sara was an incredible mom. Her children were the centre of her world, and everything she did was for them. She loved them fiercely, worked hard to provide for them, and dreamed of giving them the best life possible."

Check out the TikTok video below:

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People call out GBV within families

Viewers across social media were shaken by the news shared by the @nbcnews page, with many calling attention to how little protection Gilson received despite the order in place:

PureLigma wrote:

"So she spoke up and wasn't protected."

SandFlavoredPoptart said:

"Maybe if police did their job then she would be alive. Everyone loves to blame the woman instead of the man."

ShimmerKat13 shared:

"This is why most women and kids don't report these men."

Torrid Sprawling wrote:

"We ask for protection, and they hand us a piece of paper."

Dia said:

"And men will still blame women for not speaking out against their abuser."

Xx_noeli_xx added:

"Every week we have a new news story of a man unaliving a woman because he simply cannot control his emotions."

Susaninika noted:

"She also had told the police he owned a gun he threatened to use, even though he was not permitted to possess a gun under the protective order."

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3 Other Briefly News stories about GBV

• The Wife star Sipho Ndlovu was accused of gender-based violence by his former partner, Shanice, in July 2024, and she opened a case.
• Fifi Cooper has temporarily suspended her 1 Night With Fifi Cooper Tour due to a personal gender-based violence matter.
• South African life coach Lundi called out women who defend abusive men based on their wealth or status.

Source: Briefly News