Oklahoma TikTok influencer killed in murder-suicide days after accusing husband of pedophilia online

The killing

Just before 11 pm on 23 July, a 911 operator heard a woman screaming and what sounded like a gunshot. Minutes later, a boy called from a neighbour's house saying his stepfather had shot his mother. When officers arrived at the Collinsville-area home, they found Sara Gilson, 43, and Jeremiah "Shawn" Duffey, 48, lifeless, each with a bullet wound to the head. The boy, Gilson's minor son from a previous marriage, was placed temporarily with child protective services and later returned to an uninvolved parent. Captain Nick Boatman of the Owasso police described the deaths as a murder-suicide, adding that Duffey was violating an active protective order by being at the residence.

A public accusation on TikTok

Twelve days earlier, on 11 July, Gilson had posted a video on TikTok where she had over 30,000 followers. The video followed a popular trend in which users pose as if taking part in a Netflix documentary interview. Gilson turned the format into a serious accusation against her estranged husband, whom she had separated from.

Getting ready for when Netflix releases a documentary about my future ex-husband, who I just found out is a pedophile.

She added the caption "I wish I was joking" and tagged the post with #plottwist, #Netflix and #documentary. The video drew more than two million views, with British tabloid Daily Mail reporting over 6 million, and was still online after her death.

The underlying abuse allegations

The roots of the conflict trace to 9 June, when a 15-year-old girl and her parent filed a complaint with Owasso police. They said Duffey, who coached the girl's youth basketball team, had kissed and touched her inappropriately during an event at an elementary school that evening. Another coach saw the incident and immediately intervened, then alerted the girl's parent. Police determined that similar conduct had occurred repeatedly over a long period, in different locations and across state lines. Because Duffey was enrolled in the Osage Nation and the alleged offence took place on tribal land, the case was transferred to federal authorities. He was never arrested, however, and no criminal charges had been filed by the time he died.

Protective orders and escalating danger

Gilson had already sought legal protection from Duffey before. In 2021 she filed two applications for protective orders, both dismissed after she did not appear in court. On 10 June, the day after the girl's complaint, she filed a new emergency protective order. In it she stated that Duffey possessed a gun, had threatened to kill himself and had fled. A judge ordered him to vacate the family home immediately and to stay at least 100 yards (91 metres) away from Gilson and her teenage daughter. The order was extended on 23 June until 24 August. Despite the restriction, Duffey was able to enter the home on the night of 23 July.

Investigation continues

Captain Boatman told local media the inquiry is a multi-front operation: detectives are interviewing neighbours, examining surveillance-camera footage and have seized one of the couple's vehicles. The 911 recording and the boy's testimony are key pieces of evidence. While the police have not officially confirmed a murder-suicide, they have repeatedly said that all elements point to that scenario.