John Sweeney Murdered Actor Dominique Dunne and Barely Served Any Time for It — Where Is He Now?

People less familiar with the 1982 horror classic Poltergeist may have trouble remembering Dominique Dunne. The film was dominated by its youngest star, Heather O'Rourke, who played the sweet and angelic Carol Anne. In the movie, a family is besieged by ghosts after discovering their new house was built on top of a cemetery. Dunne plays the oldest daughter who is at a friend's house for much of the motion picture. She returns at the height of terror in time to let out a blood-curdling scream.

Sadly, Dunne wouldn't go on to have the cinematic career she deserved, as five months after the release of Poltergeist, the 22-year-old was murdered by her ex-boyfriend who then went on to receive a shockingly light sentence. Her death was a catalyst for her father Dominick Dunne, who became a prolific journalist covering stories like the Menendez brothers trial. But what happened to John Sweeney, the man who took Dunne's life? Here's what we know.

In February 1987, Sweeney spoke with the Los Angeles Times about the night he murdered his ex-girlfriend. He had been released in September 1986 after serving less than four years behind bars. Before his incarceration, Sweeney was Wolfgang Puck's Ma Maison restaurant in Los Angeles. Six years later, he was back in the kitchen as head chef at The Chronicle, a swanky spot in Santa Monica.

Regarding the brief time he spent in prison, Sweeney said, "I did not do all that much time, considering the crime." Sweeney said that was irrelevant because he was doing "life without (possibility of parole) in [his] heart." For him, it seems prison was much easier than putting his life back together.

More than 25 years after his daughter's death, Dominick Dunne spoke with The Telegraph, where he shared a small update regarding Sweeney. Somewhere around 1994, the writer received a call from a doctor in Florida who reached out after reading an article Dominick wrote about Dunne. This doctor said his daughter was about to marry a chef named John Sweeney. It was the same man. Dominick was asked if the doctor's daughter was safe. He replied, "Doctor, are you out of your f---king mind?"

Dunne's brother, actor Griffin Dunne, then called the doctor's daughter and told her everything about his sister. He suggested the young woman break off her engagement, which she did. Sweeney accused Griffin of harassing him. That was the last time anyone in the Dunne family heard from Sweeney.

Dunne and Sweeney met in 1981 while he was working at Ma Maison. He came from a troubled background while she was from a prominent Hollywood family. Despite their differences, they made it work and a few months later, were living together. Dominique's mother Ellen Dunne believes her daughter loved Sweeney very much until things started turning sour.

One evening, Dominique showed up at her parents' house crying because of a fight she and Sweeney had gotten into. It resulted in him breaking some dishes and smashing up furniture. When Ellen pointed out how terrifying that was, her daughter simply said, "Oh, he's never hurt me." A little over a month before she died, he did hurt her. Sweeney choked her during an argument leaving bruises so bad that makeup wasn't needed for her role as a battered child on an episode of Hill Street Blues.

The days leading up to Oct. 30, 1982 are disputed by those involved. Some say the couple had reconciled after a breakup while others insist that Dunne had no interest in taking Sweeney back. Regardless, when he showed up at the house that night, he was furious. Fellow actor David Packer was there rehearsing with Dunne when Sweeney appeared. She went out on the porch to speak with him. Soon after that, Packer heard screaming and a thud.

He phoned a friend and said if he ended up dead, Sweeney did it. The medical examiner would later say it took Sweeney four to six minutes to strangle Dunne. She slipped into a coma and was taken off life support five days later. During Sweeney's trial, the judge didn't allow testimony from an ex-girlfriend of his who said he beat her 10 times in the two years they dated. The judge also removed first-degree murder as an option. Sweeney was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison.