An influencer was murdered by her husband after she posted a social media video claiming he was a paedophile, part of a current Netflix documentary trend. Her ex-husband has revealed he begged her to end the relationship.
Murder-Suicide in Oklahoma
Sara Gilson, 43, and Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey, 48, were found dead at their home in Owasso, Oklahoma on July 23. A child in the home called 911 before emergency services discovered the couple. Authorities said Gilson was shot by Duffey, who then turned the weapon on himself.
Ex-Husband Speaks Out
Lyle Landers, 46, who shares two children with Gilson, told PEOPLE: “Shawn had been a risk for her since they got together.” He added: “She had been stuck in a relationship where domestic abuse seemed ‘okay’.” Landers said: “I had begged her for five years to get away from him. I had offered to help her, in any way I could, to get away from him. But he seemed to have some sort of control over her, and she couldn’t seem to get away.”
TikTok Post and Protective Order
Weeks before the fatal shooting, Gilson posted a video on TikTok claiming her husband was a paedophile, as part of a trend where users pretend to sit for a documentary interview. She wrote: “Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon to be ex-husband who I just found out is a paedophile.” The caption read: “I wish I was joking. #plottwist #netflix #documentary.”
On June 10, Gilson submitted an emergency protective order against Duffey, who was ordered from their home and to stay 100 yards away. The order was extended to August 24 on June 23. Gilson claimed in the order that Duffey had a gun and threatened to end his life “and went on the run.”
Another woman also filed a protective order on behalf of her minor daughter against Duffey on June 10, alleging he kissed and touched the girl, sent her messages, invited her to his hotel room, and offered her money “to keep her quiet.”
Remembering Sara Gilson
Landers described Gilson as “a mom, a daughter, a sister and a friend” and “a beautiful person, inside and out.” He said: “Her greatest achievement in life, though, was in our two babies.” He added: “She was always so worried before we had kids that she wouldn’t know what to do, or that she wouldn’t be a good mom. Turns out, she was a great mom.”
Landers and Gilson divorced about seven years ago but remained friends. He said: “It had been the best thing in the world for our kids, but also for us. We coparent as well as anyone, and it has shown in our kids.”
A GoFundMe has been set up for Gilson and Landers’ two children, stating: “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.”
