What a Creep
Season 25, Episode 7
The Murder of Dominique Dunne by John Thomas Sweeney
Dominique Dunne, known for her role in the 1982 film “Poltergeist,” had a bright future. Tragically, her life was cut short on October 30, 1982, when her ex-boyfriend strangled her, John Thomas Sweeney, outside her West Hollywood home. She never regained consciousness and died on November 4, 1982, at just 22 years old.The trial that followed sparked outrage. Sweeney was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, not murder, and served only three years of a six-and-a-half-year sentence. This lenient sentence highlighted severe flaws in the justice system’s handling of domestic violence cases. Dominique’s death brought attention to domestic abuse, prompting her family, especially her father, Dominick Dunne, to advocate for victims’ rights and legal reforms. Her legacy endures through these efforts and her memorable work in film.
Trigger warning: Domestic/Partner Violence
Season 25, Episode 7
The Murder of Dominique Dunne by John Thomas Sweeney
Dominique Dunne, known for her role in the 1982 film “Poltergeist,” had a bright future. Tragically, her life was cut short on October 30, 1982, when her ex-boyfriend strangled her, John Thomas Sweeney, outside her West Hollywood home. She never regained consciousness and died on November 4, 1982, at just 22 years old.The trial that followed sparked outrage. Sweeney was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, not murder, and served only three years of a six-and-a-half-year sentence. This lenient sentence highlighted severe flaws in the justice system’s handling of domestic violence cases. Dominique’s death brought attention to domestic abuse, prompting her family, especially her father, Dominick Dunne, to advocate for victims’ rights and legal reforms. Her legacy endures through these efforts and her memorable work in film.
Trigger warning: Domestic/Partner Violence
Sources for this episode
- Vanity Fair
- Vanity Fair May 2008
- Vanity Fair March 1984
- Los Angeles Times December 3, 1986
- E True Hollywood Story
- All That is Interesting
- City Journal
- Variety
- Vulture
- The Friday Afternoon Cub: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne
- The Murder of Dominique Dunne by Erica Thomas and Troy McElfresh
- Dominique Dunne Wikipedia
- People Magazine October 10, 1983
- Slate