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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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A social media influencer was killed by her husband, authorities said, less than two weeks after she participated in a popular TikTok trend where she posted a video accusing him of being a pedophile.
Sara Gilson, 43, was fatally shot by her estranged husband Jeremiah Shawn Duffey, 48, the Owasso Police Department said in a statement provided to Newsweek. Duffey then shot and killed himself.
Officers responded to a home in Collinsville, Oklahoma, at around 11:15 p.m. on July 23 after a 911 call in which dispatchers could hear a woman followed by "what sounded to be a gunshot," police said.
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"There was no answer to repeated attempts by dispatchers to hail anyone on the other end of the call," police said. A few moments later, dispatchers received another 911 call from a juvenile who told them his stepfather had shot his mother.
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Responding officers arrived at the residence to find "two deceased individuals with apparent gunshot wounds to the head.
Gilson’s son was taken into protective custody and later released to a parent who was not involved in the incident, police said.
The shooting remains under investigation, but police said the deaths appear to be a murder-suicide.
Gilson had posted a video on TikTok earlier this month, accusing her estranged husband of being a pedophile.
The clip showed an empty chair before Gilson entered the frame and sat down, as text on the screen said: “Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon to be ex husband who I just found out is a pedophile.”
She added in a caption: “I wish I was joking.”
That clip gained fresh attention after news of Gilson’s death. It had garnered more than 21 million views as of Monday.
Newsweek has contacted the Owasso Police Department for further comment via email.
What Is the Netflix Documentary Trend?
Gilson’s video was part of a trend that has become popular on TikTok in recent months after creators began posting videos imagining sitting for Netflix documentaries about their lives.
Videos have typically shown users recreating scenes often featured in those documentaries, including sitting down in chairs, adjusting microphones on their lapels or otherwise preparing for a dramatic interview. They use a song that was featured in the trailer for an actual Netflix documentary about the former NFL player and convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez.
Many users who have participated in the trend have treated it as a lighthearted joke, imagining hypothetical documentaries about workplace drama or a leaked group chat. Gilson’s video was a departure, since it referenced serious allegations.
Netflix responded to the trend in a post on Instagram earlier in July, posting a picture of an empty chair with the caption: “about to sit down and watch all these documentaries.”
Duffey Accused of Molesting Minor
Duffey was accused of inappropriately touching a juvenile who played for a local girl's basketball team that he coached during an event at an elementary school in Owasso on June 9, police said.
"Similar conduct by this coach towards this particular juvenile player was reported to have occurred over an extended period of time, in multiple law enforcement jurisdictions, across multiple states prior to this incident," police said.
"This incident was witnessed by another team coach who immediately intervened and reported it to the juvenile’s parent, and they in turn came to the Owasso Police Department once the parent arrived to collect the juvenile from the event. The suspect in this incident fled the scene and had not been seen by Owasso Police since."
The 15-year-old girl's mother filed for a protective order the following day, alleging that Duffey kissed and touched her, The Oklahoman reported. The girl also told her mother that Duffey had sent her inappropriate messages, invited her to his hotel room during a tournament trip and given her money “to keep her quiet,” according to the newspaper.
Police said they submitted the case for a charge of lewd molestation of a minor to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tulsa for review because Duffey was a member of the Osage Nation and the incident happened on tribal land. That ended "the jurisdiction of the Owasso Police Department over this reported incident," police said.
The U.S. Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment.
Gilson Granted Protective Order
Police said they had contacted Duffey's wife and provided her with information on how to seek an emergency protective order against him.
Gilson received a protective order against Duffey on June 10 after telling a judge that Duffey "proceeded to threaten suicide and went on the run” after being confronted, The Oklahoman reported.
She also told the judge that Duffey had a firearm. The order required Duffey to stay 100 yards away from Gilson and her home, the newspaper reported.
Police said no incidents of Duffey violating the order were made to the police department prior to Thursday's fatal shooting.
A GoFundMe set up to help support Gilson’s two children has raised more than $30,000.
“Sara was an incredible mom. Her children were the center of her world, and everything she did was for them,” the organizer wrote on the page.
“She loved them fiercely, worked hard to provide for them, and dreamed of giving them the best life possible.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Tony Phillips
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