Sara Gilson Duffey, a 43-year-old Oklahoma social media influencer known for parenting content, was fatally shot in an apparent murder-suicide by her husband, Jeremiah Shawn Duffey, 48, less than two weeks after she posted a video accusing him of pedophilia. Police found both dead with gunshot wounds on Thursday at their home in suburban Tulsa, according to local police statements.
Protective orders and allegations
On June 10, Sara sought a protective order to keep Jeremiah away from their home in Collinsville, Oklahoma. The same day, another woman filed a protective order on behalf of her daughter, alleging that Jeremiah, a youth basketball coach, had kissed and fondled the girl. According to court filings reported by the Oklahoman, Jeremiah sent inappropriate texts, invited the girl to his hotel room while traveling, and gave her money to keep her quiet. These allegations were reported to police in Owasso, adjacent to Collinsville. Sara's filing echoed these accusations and added that Jeremiah had a firearm, threatened suicide, and went on the run.
Social media video and timeline
On July 11, Sara posted a video to her tens of thousands of TikTok followers under the handle "mrsgilson." In the video, she sat somber-faced under text reading, "Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon to be ex husband who I just found out is a pedophile." She wrote, "I wish I was joking." Twelve days later, on July 23, police received an emergency call at 11:15 p.m. from Sara's home. A woman could be heard screaming amid what sounded like a gunshot, as reported by NBC News. A second call came from a neighbor, where a boy reported that his stepfather had shot his mother.
Discovery and aftermath
Police found Sara and Jeremiah's bodies upon arrival. All indications pointed to Jeremiah killing Sara before dying by suicide, though the case remains under investigation. Sara's son was placed in the custody of another uninvolved parent. The July 11 video accumulated about 15 million views as of Sunday, highlighting the prevalence of intimate partner violence: more than half of female homicide victims in the US are killed by current or former male partners, according to CDC data. An online fundraiser for Sara's children described her as "an incredible mom" who "loved them fiercely."
