Dominique Dunne: Strangled to Death

Dunne made appearances in several made for television movies, television series, and films, and played a prominent role as the oldest daughter, Dana, in the 1982 film Poltergeist. She was strangled to death by her former boyfriend. In 1982, after completing work on Poltergeist, Dunne met and later moved in with a Los Angeles chef, John Thomas Sweeney, who was working at the restaurant Ma Maison. After a short and abusive relationship, Dunne ended her relationship with Sweeney. A few weeks later, Sweeney strangled Dunne in the driveway of her home after she refused to reconcile with him. She fell into a deep coma for five days. She died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 22. Dunne was 19 days shy of her 23rd birthday.

Her last TV appearance, aired after her death, was in an episode of Hill Street Blues titled Requiem for a Hairbag. She played a teenage mother who is a victim of parental abuse. Some of her bruise marks were actual bruises inflicted from abuse by Sweeney the night before filming. The episode was dedicated to her memory. Sweeney was convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to 6½ years in prison. He served less than four years before his release, having been given credit for time served before conviction. He was then hired as a chef at a restaurant in Santa Monica, California; however, Dunne's family publicly protested his employment there, and he was fired. In interviews, Dunne's father has said that for a time, he employed the services of private investigator Anthony Pellicano to follow and report upon Sweeney. According to Dunne's father, Pellicano reported that Sweeney had changed his name and moved to the Pacific Northwest. However, Dunne's father has said that he no longer wishes to squander his life following Sweeney and therefore has discontinued any attempts to keep tabs on him. Dominique Dunne was buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery near family friend Natalie Wood.

Dominique Dunne's Natal Chart - Sun square Pluto

Dominique was born with the Sun conjunct Mars, and this aspect will usually give rise to a fiery nature, but it can also be an indicator of a male partner (Sun) who is aggressive, selfish, and who has difficulty controlling his temper (Mars). The Sun is also square to Pluto, and this aspect corresponds with fated experiences, and continual episodes of ego death-rebirth. The fatherly influence of Sun-Pluto can show a heavy and dominating character, in some way, she subconscoisly feels dominated by the men in her life. Dad is a powerful and influential figure. He worked as a journalist, and this is shown by her Sun in the sign of Sagittarius (truth, higher communication, and justice). Her Dad is an investigative (Pluto) writer and his subjects focus on high society and the judical system. He was also vice president of Four Star Pictures. He had personal demons to contend with, and was beset with problems of addiction. Sun-Pluto reflects a compulsive personality, and he fought daily to overcome his addictions. He later published an article A Fathers Account of the Trial of his Daughter's Killer. Quite often, a strong obsessive or overzealous man can make Dominique feel she is not safe to express herself. Many with these contacts, especially the hard aspects can become secretive and withdrawn, and will hide their real feelings underneath. Dominique had enormous willpower like her father, but she also had a fascination with power. Therefore, relationships can be demanding and forceful, and unconsciously a woman with this aspect can marry a man with her own fathers temperament or with his own "demons" to overcome.  There is often issues of control, obsession and manipulation in the psyche of the Sun-Pluto individual.