Her estranged husband had been the subject of a child sex abuse investigation that was referred to federal prosecutors weeks earlier.
Sara Gilson, 43, and Jeremiah "Shawn" Duffey, 48, were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds shortly after 11:15 p.m. on July 23 at their home with a Collinsville mailing address inside Owasso city limits, according to Capt. Nick Boatman of the Owasso Police Department.
In a statement emailed to NTD, police said a 911 dispatcher first heard a woman screaming, followed by what sounded like a gunshot. Dispatchers were unable to make contact with anyone at the home. Minutes later, a juvenile called from a nearby neighbor's house and reported that his stepfather had shot his mother.
Gilson Posted Video About Her Grief
Gilson, a hairstylist and mother of two with more than 30,000 TikTok followers, often shared videos about everyday life, beauty, and humor. In the weeks before her death, she posted about the trauma she was experiencing.On July 20, she posted: “While I'm grieving and trying to process the worst thing imaginable, I'm solely focused on my children and their well being. Their safety and mental health is my only concern at this time. We are not ok and I'm not sure I'll ever be the same, but God has been so faithful in this process and I feel his presence in everything I do. Let's all remember to pray for the victim and respect her privacy.”
Duffey was a coach for a traveling youth basketball team. Police began to investigate him on June 9 after a juvenile and a parent reported that he had inappropriately touched a female player during an event at an Owasso elementary school. According to police, another coach witnessed the alleged conduct, intervened, and alerted the girl's parent.
Police said investigators also received reports alleging similar conduct involving the same juvenile over an extended period in multiple states and law enforcement jurisdictions. Duffey fled the school before officers arrived and had not been seen by Owasso police since.
Investigators later determined Duffey was a member of the Osage Nation and that the reported incident occurred in Indian Country, placing the case under federal jurisdiction.
Owasso police referred a report listing the suspected offense as lewd molestation of a minor to the U.S. Attorney's Office under the Federal Major Crimes Act, ending the department's role in the criminal investigation.
After learning of the allegations, Gilson sought court protection. She was granted an emergency protective order on June 10 directing Duffey to stay at least 100 yards away from her and her home. Court records show the order was later extended through Aug. 24.
On July 11, less than two weeks before the shooting, Gilson posted a video following a popular social media trend referencing true crime documentaries.
"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 the video. The caption read, "I wish I was joking."
“Sara was an incredible mom. Her children were the center of her world, and everything she did was for them. She loved them fiercely, worked hard to provide for them, and dreamed of giving them the best life possible.”