Sara Gilson murder-suicide: Ex says he urged her to leave husband
Lyle Landers told People he warned Sara Gilson for years about Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey before authorities say Duffey killed her.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Sara Gilson murder-suicide details now include a painful account from her former husband, Lyle Landers, who told People he spent years urging the influencer to get away from Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey before authorities say Duffey killed her and then himself.
Landers, who shares two children with Gilson, told People he had been warning her for five years to leave Duffey, describing him as a danger to her from the start of the relationship. Landers said he offered to help Gilson get out in whatever way he could.
According to People, Landers said Duffey seemed to have a hold over Gilson. He told the outlet that, despite the warnings and his offers of help, Gilson was unable to fully separate herself from the relationship.
What happened in the Sara Gilson murder-suicide?
Gilson and Duffey were found dead Thursday inside her home in Owasso, Oklahoma, TMZ reported. Both had gunshot wounds, and authorities said Duffey shot Gilson before taking his own life.
TMZ also reported it obtained dispatch audio from the night of the shooting. In that audio, a dispatcher can be heard telling officers that a woman was heard screaming and crying before a loud noise sounded in the background.
Gilson had previously sought legal protection from Duffey. TMZ reported that she filed multiple protective orders against him, including one filed last month.
What did Lyle Landers say about Sara Gilson?
Landers told People that he and Gilson divorced about seven years ago, but later repaired their relationship enough to become friends and co-parents. He described her to the outlet as a devoted mother who put her children first.
He also remembered Gilson as a hairdresser who cared strongly about her work, according to People. His comments paint a picture of a family trying to hold together a co-parenting bond while Gilson’s relationship with Duffey remained a concern.
Gilson had built a following on TikTok, where she recently made a serious allegation about Duffey. TMZ reported that Gilson accused her soon-to-be ex-husband of being a pedophile in a viral TikTok post, saying she had only recently learned the allegation.
That allegation has not been established as fact in the available reporting. TMZ said court records it reviewed showed Duffey had been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from a local child and the child’s home.
What records have been reported in the case?
The reported records and audio have added to the picture of a relationship that had already reached the courts before the deadly shooting. TMZ reported the protective orders filed by Gilson and the separate court order involving Duffey’s distance from a child and the child’s home.
Authorities have identified the deaths as a murder-suicide, according to TMZ. No response from Duffey has been reported, and the claims against him remain limited to what authorities, court records and named outlets have said.
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This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.