WARNING – DISTRESSING CONTENT: Sara Gilson, 43, and Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey, 48, were found dead in her Oklahoma home from gunshot wounds to the head on July 23 in what police are calling a murder-suicide
Sara Gilson, 43, was fatally shot by her husband weeks after accusing him of being a pedophile
Emergency dispatchers heard slain influencer Sara Gilson “screaming and crying” on the phone before police found her and her estranged husband Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey dead in her Oklahoma home.
Gilson, 43, was fatally shot in the head on July 23 in her Owasso home by Duffey before he turned the weapon on himself in what law enforcement officials are describing as a murder-suicide. The horrific situation occurred just weeks after she publicly accused him of being a pedophile in a viral TikTok video. Details continue to emerge about the horrific incident, including a harrowing 911 dispatcher phone call shortly before the murder.
Gilson reportedly called 911 for help around 11:15 p.m. that night before her estranged husband launched the attack. In 911 dispatch audio obtained by PEOPLE, emergency service dispatchers can be heard discussing the call.
“I’m trying to reach him back, but I could hear a female in the background screaming and crying,” the dispatcher said, according to PEOPLE. “Some sort of loud bang in the background.”
Shortly after, the dispatcher made a remark about a “male that we were looking for a few weeks ago after he got caught kissing a juvenile” and also mentioned “a gun.”
Just minutes later, at 11:18 p.m., local law enforcement informed dispatchers that they had arrived on the scene, where they found the two dead bodies.
In the weeks prior to the deadly incident, Gilson posted a TikTok video alleging her husband was a pedophile, inspired by a trending social media format based on Netflix documentaries. Gilson captioned her video: “Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon to be ex husband who I just found out is a pedophile.”
The widespread trend sees social media users filming staged mock interviews as though they are starring in a documentary series. The popular format has been embraced by users to tackle a wide range of subjects, from light-hearted personal stories to deeply serious life events. Gilson’s video also carried the caption, “I wish I was joking. #plottwist #netflix #documentary.”
Authorities confirmed that Gilson was shot and killed by Duffey, who then turned the weapon on himself. Before the fatal shooting, Gilson had sought legal protection, filing two separate protective orders against Duffey in 2021, according to local media reports.
These charges were ultimately dropped after Gilson didn’t show up to the scheduled hearing, The Oklahoman reports. On June 10, Gilson had secured an emergency protective order against Duffey.
The man was immediately required to leave the residence and told to stay at least 100 yards away from the woman, according to PEOPLE. On June 23, the protective order against the man was prolonged until August 24.
In the court documents, Gilson claimed that Duffey had a firearm, had made threats to end his own life “and went on the run.”
Also on June 10 – the identical date as Gilson’s filing – another woman submitted a separate protective order on behalf of her underage daughter against Duffey. The child, a 15 year old girl, was a member of a youth basketball team that Duffey coached.
Duffey allegedly kissed and inappropriately touched the girl before being caught by a fellow coach, the mother claimed, per The Oklahoman. The child also told her mother that Duffey had engaged in further inappropriate conduct toward her.
This alleged behavior included sending her messages and extending an invitation to his hotel room during a tournament trip. The child further claimed that the man offered her money “to keep her quiet.”
