Dominique Dunne was born into an artistic family. Two noted novelists were ancestors, her father Dominick was a producer and journalist, and her brother Griffin was an actor. Dominique followed suit after high school: Starting in TV, she then jumped into the movies with a noted part in “Poltergeist.” Shortly before taking her part in the film, Dominique fell into a relationship with chef John Thomas Sweeney. He was insecure, jealous, and physically abusive; per Turner Classic Movies, one assault left Dominique with visible bruises on her neck in her final TV appearance.
Dominique broke up with Sweeney after that incident, but while rehearsing at her home on October 30, 1982, she was visited by her ex-boyfriend, who dragged her outside and began strangling her when she wouldn’t take him back. Fellow actor David Packer, who was rehearsing with Dominique, stayed inside and set up his alibi before calling the police. By the time he went outside, Sweeney had been choking Dominique for five minutes. She fell into a coma and died five days later.
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At trial, Sweeney’s history of domestic violence was withheld as evidence by the judge, and he was ultimately convicted of voluntary manslaughter, with a maximum sentence of six years; he was released in less than three. Dominique’s outraged family organized a negative publicity campaign to drive him out of his chef’s job, and eventually, out of Hollywood.
