Sara Gilson Filed Three Protective Orders Before Her Death: A Tragic Reminder of the Gaps in Domestic Violence Protection

A heartbreaking story out of Oklahoma has a lot of people asking hard questions. Sara Gilson, a social media influencer and mom, filed three protective orders against her ex-fiancé Jeremiah Duffey before he allegedly killed her in a murder-suicide on July 23. Court documents reveal that the first two orders were filed in 2021 and later dismissed at Gilson’s request. But a third emergency order was filed on June 10, 2026, in which Gilson stated Duffey had a firearm and was on the run, saying,“I don’t feel safe and things keep getting worse.”

Police found both Gilson and Duffey dead in their Oklahoma home, with a family member reporting it as a murder-suicide. A 911 call captured a woman’s voice pleading,“Please don’t kill me,”with a child present in the background. Adding to the disturbing nature of the case, a separate court filing accused Duffey of inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old girl. A GoFundMe organized by Brandon Johns has been set up to support the children affected by this tragedy.

This case highlights a painful truth: even when victims do everything they’re told to do, the system can still fail them. Sara Gilson went to court, she filed paperwork, and she spoke up about her fear. And yet, the worst outcome still happened. What more could have been done? How can we better protect people who are brave enough to ask for help? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.