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Young woman murdered in Turley was mother whose children were nearby as she was shot

Elizabeth Dillard was shot to death Friday, March 28
Elizabeth Dillard
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Facebook
Elizabeth Dillard, shot to death Friday, March 25, poses in a 2020 selfie

A latest victim of gun violence in Tulsa was a mother who, according to social media, had just turned 27 years old.

According to Tulsa Police, Elizabeth Dillard’s body was found on her porch in Turley, on Friday, Mar. 25 around 7:30 a.m. In a statement posted to Facebook, TPD said Dillard was probably shot as she headed inside her house during the early morning hours.

Lt. Brandon Watkins said Dillard’s children were just inside.

“It bothers everybody. You don’t want to see a mother killed with her children literally feet away,” said Watkins.

Watkins said the children are now with a family member.

On social media, Dillard posted about being financially independent and advertised a presence on and off OnlyFans, a subscription website known for its sexual content.

Phoenix Calida of advocacy group Sex Workers Outreach Project said sex workers are at a much higher risk for violence due to stigma even as demand for their work reaches unprecedentedlevels.

“It’s considered very shameful to engage in sex work, whether that’s in-person sex work or even something online like OnlyFans,” said Calida. “That gives abusers and predators a little bit of a green light in their heads to be like, ‘Oh, I can also abuse this person because they’re only a sex worker.”

Dillard, whose family and friends haven’t been reachable, had two sons and one daughter according to neighbors and Facebook. Aside from family shots, she posted photos of food and fashion online.

A photo posted on Elizabeth Dillard's social media in 2019 taken a trip to Thailand
Elizabeth Dillard
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Facebook
A photo taken on a trip to Thailand in 2019 posted to Elizabeth Dillard's social media

TPD said they are still investigating.

Before joining Public Radio Tulsa, Elizabeth Caldwell was a freelance reporter and a teacher. She holds a master's from Hollins University. Her audio work has appeared at KCRW, CBC's The World This Weekend, and The Missouri Review. She is a south Florida native.