A social media influencer was killed by her estranged husband after publicly accusing him of being a pedophile in a TikTok video tied to a viral trend, according to police.
Sara Gilson, 43, was fatally shot by Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey, 48, during what authorities described as a horrific murder-suicide after he allegedly broke into her home in Owasso, Oklahoma, on July 23.
The killing came less than two weeks after Gilson posted a July 11 TikTok using the “Netflix documentary” trend, in which creators act as though they are being interviewed for a true-crime-style special on the streaming platform.
Although the format is often used for lighthearted jokes or exaggerated personal dramas, Gilson used the clip to reference the collapse of her marriage and the allegations against her husband.
“Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon to be ex husband who I just found out is a pedophile,” Gilson wrote over the video.
Gilson, who was a mother of two, added in the caption, “I wish I was joking.” The post went viral, drawing more than six million views.
Duffey had allegedly been caught kissing and touching a 15-year-old girl on the youth basketball team he coached, according to a protective order filed June 10 by the girl’s mother, who said another coach witnessed the incident.
Gilson and Duffey’s marriage had already unraveled in 2021, when she filed two protective orders against him. Both were dismissed after Gilson did not appear in court, The Oklahoman reported.
On June 10, the same day as the filing from Duffey’s alleged victim, Gilson also filed for another emergency protective order against Duffey, alleging that he had a gun, threatened suicide, and then ‘went on the run.’
Social media influencer Sara Gilson, 43, was shot dead by her estranged husband after she outed him as an accused pedophile using a TikTok trend (above) about Netflix documentaries, police say
Gilson, 43, was fatally shot by her husband Jeremiah ‘Shawn’ Duffey, 48, in a horror murder-suicide when he broke into her home in Owasso, Oklahoma on July 23, per officials
Duffey was allegedly caught kissing and touching a 15-year-old girl on the youth basketball team he coached by another coach, according to a protective order filed on June 10 by the girl’s mother
Duffey was never arrested for the alleged incident or charged with any crime.
A report about the allegations was made to the Owasso Police Department, however, it is unclear if Duffey was the subject of an investigation before his death. The Daily Mail has contacted the Owasso Police Department for comment.
In Gilson’s protective order, a judge ordered Duffey out of their home and ordered him to stay at least 100 yards away from her, according to People.
The protective order was then extended on June 23, through August 24.
Duffey was also the subject of another protective order filed on the same day as his wife’s, which was filed by the schoolgirl’s mother.
She claimed that her daughter was kissed and touched by the youth basketball team coach.
Another coach reportedly caught him in the act, and the girl told her mother that Duffey’s inappropriate behavior extended to sending her messages, inviting her to his hotel room during a tournament trip, and offering her money for her silence, per the filing.
Gilson, a mother of two, had obtained an order of protection from her husband, but police say he broke into her home and shot her dead before turning the gun on himself
After Gilson shared her pointed TikTok exposing her husband’s alleged crimes, she posted two more videos to her page alluding to her ordeal before she was killed. In one video, she showed herself with a friend on a boat, captioned: ‘Everyone talks about romantic love, but no one talks about how female friendships literally save your life’
In another clip shared just days before she was killed, Gilson shared a video of herself on a yacht, captioned: ‘May whatever the f*** that was never find me again’
After Gilson shared her pointed TikTok exposing her husband’s alleged crimes, she posted two more videos to her page alluding to her ordeal before she was killed.
In one video, she showed herself with a friend on a boat, captioned: ‘Everyone talks about romantic love, but no one talks about how female friendships literally save your life.’
She then shared another video of herself on a yacht, captioned: ‘May whatever the f*** that was never find me again.’
Days after that final post, Duffey broke into Gilson’s home and shot her dead before turning the gun on himself, police said.
Duffey’s own TikTok account also included crude clips about his personal life, including one of him coughing with the caption: ‘Ur sick if you like to pull hair and bite.’
In another video, he used the caption: ‘Apparently every girl’s ex was toxic, controlling, and manipulative.’
Duffey was never arrested for the alleged incident with the underage girl or charged with any crime. Pictured with Gilson
In a GoFundMe set up for Gilson’s two children, her loved ones described her death as ‘unimaginable,’ saying she was an ‘incredible mom.’
‘Her sudden and heartbreaking loss has left an entire community grieving, but the greatest loss is felt by her two precious children, who must now face life without their loving mother,’ the fundraiser read.
‘Her children were the center 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.’
