Sara Gilson Killed by Estranged Husband After Accusing Him of Pedophilia on TikTok
An Oklahoma hairstylist and social media creator was shot and killed by her estranged husband less than two weeks after she publicly called him a pedophile following allegations that he had inappropriate sexual contact with a 15-year-old player he coached.
Sara Gilson, 43, was found dead inside her Tulsa-area home on the night of Thursday, July 23. Investigators with the Owasso Police Department say her husband, 48-year-old Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey, shot Gilson before fatally shooting himself.
Gilson was a mother of two who worked as a hairstylist and shared videos about parenting, relationships and everyday life on TikTok. A couple of weeks before her death, Sara began posting alarming content about her estranged husband.
“Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon-to-be ex-husband who I just found out is a pedophile,” she wrote in one video. “I wish I was joking,” she captioned the video, which has since received millions of views.
She called the police before she was shot, son reportedly witnessed the shooting
Police were first alerted to trouble at approximately 11:16 p.m. after receiving a domestic-violence call from Gilson’s home, which has a Collinsville mailing address but falls within Owasso city limits.
Dispatchers reportedly heard a woman screaming and what sounded like a gunshot before the caller stopped responding.
A second 911 call was then placed by Gilson’s son from a neighbor’s home. Police said the child reported that his stepfather had shot his mother.
Officers found Gilson and Duffey dead from gunshot wounds when they entered the residence. The child was temporarily placed in protective custody before being released to his other parent, who was not involved in the incident.
Gilson had been granted an emergency protective order against Duffey on June 10, approximately six weeks before her death.
According to court records reviewed by multiple news organizations, Gilson alleged that Duffey possessed a firearm, had threatened to take his own life, and fled after being confronted about allegations involving a child.
The order reportedly required Duffey to leave the couple’s home and remain at least 100 yards away from Gilson. It had been extended through August 24.
Court records also show that Gilson filed two protective-order requests against Duffey in 2021. Both were later dismissed after she did not attend the scheduled hearings.
Gilson obtained the latest protective order after police informed her that Duffey, who coached a competitive traveling basketball team, had been accused of inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old female player.
Owasso police said a parent and child reported the alleged incident on June 9. Another coach allegedly saw Duffey inappropriately touching the girl, intervened, and notified her parents.
Police said similar conduct involving the same child had allegedly occurred in several jurisdictions and states over an extended period. The basketball organization was not affiliated with Owasso Public Schools, although the team had been using a school facility when the June 9 incident allegedly occurred.
The girl’s mother also sought a protective order against Duffey. In court filings, she alleged that he kissed and touched her 15-year-old daughter, sent inappropriate messages, invited her to a hotel room during a tournament and offered her money to remain silent.
Police said Duffey left after the June 9 incident and had not been located by Owasso officers. Investigators later learned that Duffey was a member of the Osage Nation. Because the alleged conduct occurred in Indian Country and involved a member of a federally recognized tribe, the case was referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for review under the Federal Major Crimes Act.
On July 11, Gilson posted her TikTok accusing Duffey of pedophilia using a trend styled like a preview for a Netflix documentary.
