When a second woman dies in the home of a local fire captain, rumors and suspicions swirl. What really happened to Sarah Sweeney?
Episode Media
Episode Sources
- Obituary for Sarah Kathleen Sweeney
- Frontenac Police Department Incident Report 01/13/2024
- 2nd woman found dead inside a local firefighter’s home, 2 families want more answers
- Two Missouri women found dead in same firefighter’s home years apart
- Woman who died in local firefighter’s home ‘absolutely’ had life-threatening medical condition, attorney says
- Cops Say Death of Firefighter Robert Daus’s Fiancee Grace Holland ‘Suspicious’ After 2nd Woman Dies
- Missouri doctor Sarah Sweeney feared ‘murderer’ boyfriend before her sudden death, texts reveal
- Dr. Sarah Sweeney feared fire captain fiancé Robert Daus and referred to him as a ‘murderer’ in chilling email to a friend, two years before she was found dead in his house
- Doctor girlfriend of firefighter died from a lethal cocktail of drugs at home, autopsy reveals – three years after his fiancé was found shot dead
- Heartbroken sister whose twin died in fiance’s house says she ‘feels responsible’ as another woman dies in his new home
- Sister says her twin ‘filmed abuse’ before dying at her fire chief fiancé’s house – as 2nd woman found dead in his home
- Who is Missouri firefighter Robert Daus?
- Missouri doctor found dead in firefighter fiance’s home — years after his previous lover died by ‘suicide’
- Female doctor, 39, is found dead in her fire chief fiancé’s Missouri home just three years after his previous fiancée ‘shot herself in the head in front of him’ in the same house
- Fire chief Robert Daus’ eerie 911 call after fiancée killed herself in front of him as 2nd woman found dead in his home
- Doctor’s ex-employer sought to subpoena firefighter boyfriend before she died in his house: court docs
- Who was Dr. Sarah Sweeney and what happened to her?
- Doctor Sarah Sweeney ‘told ex-boss her fire captain boyfriend Robert Daus was abusive’ months before her ‘sudden death’
- Dr. Sarah Sweeney feared fire captain fiancé Robert Daus and referred to him as a ‘murderer’ in chilling email to a friend, two years before she was found dead in his house
- Missouri doctor Sarah Sweeney feared ‘murderer’ boyfriend before her sudden death, texts reveal
- Missouri cops say shooting death of fire chief’s ex-fiancée WAS ‘suspicious’ and is still being probed
- 2 Fiancees Found Dead at Missouri Firefighter’s Home in 4 Years
- Autopsy results released for woman found dead in local firefighter’s home
- Missouri firefighter’s doctor girlfriend died of multiple drug intoxication, manner ‘undetermined’
- Firefighter’s Fiancee Died from Drug ‘Intoxication,” His 2nd Girlfriend to Die Under Suspicious Circumstances
- New Details Emerge in Dr. Sarah Sweeney’s Death at Boyfriend’s Home
- Sweeney v. Best Foot Forward Corporation court documents
Episode Transcript
Welcome back to Bite-Sized Crime. This week I’m bringing you a story that is connected to last week’s episode where we discussed the mysterious case of Grace Holland. If you haven’t yet listened to that episode, I encourage you to go back and listen before starting this one. This episode discusses sensitive topics, so listener discretion is advised.
On the morning of January 13, 2024, at 6:39am, a call came into the Frontenac Police Department dispatch center. A man had found his girlfriend unresponsive at his home on Conway Road. An officer was dispatched to the scene minutes later, where he found 39-year-old Sarah Sweeney dead. There were no signs of a struggle, nothing to indicate that there had been any foul play. The incident was classified as a “sudden death,” and Sarah’s body was taken to the St. Louis medical examiner for autopsy. Everything seemed fairly straightforward.
But it wasn’t long before the story hit the news – Sarah Sweeney was the second woman to die under mysterious circumstances in a home belonging to fire captain Robert Daus. Was there a connection between them, and if so, what was it?
Sarah Kathleen Sweeney was born in 1984 in Huntington, West Virginia. Her father was in the United States Navy, so the family moved around a bit before settling in the suburbs of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Sarah and her younger brother grew up in the small town of Kernersville, where Sarah eventually graduated from East Forsyth High School. Sarah had big dreams for her life, and she wasn’t going to let anything get in her way.
When Sarah was just six years old, she was diagnosed with Perthes (PER-tuz) Disease, a condition found in young children that interrupts blood flow to the hip joint and can cause a lifetime of chronic pain. But Sarah didn’t let it hold her back. Her family described her as vibrant and outgoing, a talented artist and musician. She persevered through every challenge while finding joy in the small things.
After high school, Sarah decided to pursue a career in medicine, perhaps spurred on by her childhood experiences with doctors. She attended North Carolina State University where she earned degrees in microbiology and biological sciences with a minor in biochemistry. She then moved to Miami, Florida, to attend Barry University. After earning her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree, she worked in local hospitals to complete her surgical residency. Around 2015, Sarah moved to Port Arthur, Texas, where she worked at a podiatry practice for about seven years. She then relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, in early 2021.
Unfortunately, that was where her troubles began.
Shortly after moving to St. Louis, Sarah met Robert Daus, a fire captain with the Maryland Heights Fire District. Robert was handsome and charming, and Sarah enjoyed spending time with him. But her family wasn’t as excited about the new relationship as she was. They had done their research and had found out about the mysterious death of Robert’s fiance less than a year before Sarah met him. Grace Holland’s death had been ruled a suicide, but many in the community – including Grace’s family – believed that Robert had something to do with it.
Sarah’s family sent her some of the news stories about Grace’s death, but Sarah didn’t want to hear it. When they told her she needed to stay away from Robert, Sarah became defensive and eventually stopped responding to their messages altogether. Her mother told Fox News Digital that they tried everything to get her to listen, but it didn’t work. “She was a grown adult, a doctor and a woman. We didn’t know what to do.”
Sarah was also dealing with some serious issues in her professional life. She had moved to St. Louis to work for Best Foot Forward Podiatric Specialists, but Sarah found it to be a toxic work environment. In a civil complaint filed in 2021, Sarah claimed that the owner of the practice, Dr. Franklin Harry, had engaged in unethical and illegal business practices, including insurance fraud and medical malpractice. She also alleged that Dr. Harry had sexually harassed her on multiple occasions and had created a hostile work environment. She claimed that her pay was unfairly docked, she was denied health insurance, and Dr. Harry failed to complete the necessary paperwork for Sarah to get her Missouri credentials even though she met all the requirements.
Sarah resigned from the practice in August of 2021, but the legal battle dragged on for years. In February of 2022, Sarah withdrew her complaint for unknown reasons but filed it again in November, claiming gender and disability discrimination. Dr. Harry’s lawyers filed a counterclaim and subpoenaed communication records between Sarah and several former coworkers. In August of 2023, they also subpoenaed Robert Daus, requesting all of his communications with Sarah. Robert’s text messages to Grace Holland had been toxic and abusive; I can’t help but wonder what his messages to Sarah were like. The possibility of having those messages released had to have been a strain on their relationship.
In a statement filed in December of 2023, Sarah told the court that the financial burden caused by her former employer – inconsistent pay and denial of health insurance – had led to her becoming homeless for a time before she eventually moved in with Robert Daus. “Most of my belongings are in boxes… My personal assets currently consist of $212.00 in money.”
While Sarah was fighting a nasty legal battle, she also was struggling with her health. In addition to the chronic pain that she had lived with her whole life, Sarah had also been diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome, a condition where the body’s cells mistakenly alert the immune system that there is something wrong even when there isn’t. It can mimic severe allergy symptoms and can lead to life-threatening anaphylaxis. According to the Cleveland Clinic, many people with this condition find that high periods of stress can trigger a reaction. Sarah’s life had been extremely stressful since moving to St. Louis, and she had spent many nights in the hospital because of her health. In her statement, she told the court that she was in palliative care to manage the pain that had been exacerbated during her time without health insurance.
Sadly, just three weeks after filing this statement, Sarah Sweeney was dead.
In the aftermath of her death, a wave of articles hit the news, focusing on her potential connection to the death of Grace Holland. Sarah had died in the house that Robert and Grace had bought together, the one they had been renovating when Grace died. There was very little information about Sarah’s cause of death – the Frontenac police had said it was under investigation, but they were still awaiting autopsy results. At this point, there were more questions than answers.
Grace Holland’s family issued a statement, saying, “We are saddened to learn of another death, especially of such a young person. We hope that the Frontenac Police do what the Creve Coeur Police and the County Medical Examiner didn’t do in the past and fully investigate this tragedy.”
Sarah’s mother expressed the same hope in an interview with Fox News Digital, in which she said she didn’t want to speculate about her daughter’s cause of death just yet. “I’m leaving that to the investigators, and I’m leaving that to the medical examiner’s office, to hopefully do a good job of this.”
While the results were pending, rumors swirled. Reporters unearthed court documents from Sarah’s civil suit against her former employer, which revealed her medical diagnoses as well as text messages and emails between Sarah and her coworkers. In those messages, Sarah spoke about drowning in medical debt and having to move in with Robert after being evicted from her apartment. In a text to one particular coworker, Sarah said, “I’ve been homeless, I have had to move in with my boyfriend the ‘murderer’ which has been scary at times, I’ve lost every penny and closed out my savings account… I have been through the ringer.”
In their counterclaim, attorneys for Dr. Harry alleged that Sarah’s mental health was a key player in her lawsuit. “During Sweeney’s employment… she was in a relationship with… Rob Daubs [sic], who was according to Sweeney abusive and was suspected of murdering a previous girlfriend.”
Of course, Robert Daus had never been formally named a suspect in Grace’s death, and there was no proof that he had anything to do with Sarah’s death. While Grace’s death had been ruled a suicide, Sarah had legitimate health issues that could have potentially contributed to her death. Was it possible that her mast cell activation syndrome had sent her into anaphylactic shock? Without medical attention, an attack like that could be fatal. Sarah’s mother told Fox News Digital that Sarah had the condition under control, taking regular medications and carrying an EpiPen with her at all times. But court documents showed that Sarah had gone long stretches of time without her medications because of lack of health insurance in the past, which could have had long-lasting effects. Again, it just raised more questions.
In March of 2024, the results of Sarah’s autopsy and toxicology report were released. Sarah’s immediate cause of death was determined to be an overdose of the painkillers oxycodone and gabapentin mixed with antihistamines. Her manner of death was ruled undetermined.
The Frontenac Police Department stated that they believed Sarah had been home alone in the time leading up to her death. They also stated that they were waiting for testing results on some items, presumably from the house on Conway Road where Sarah died. “Investigators are continuing to gather information; therefore, this case remains an active investigation.”
Sarah’s family issued a statement in the wake of the news. “Our family has complete confidence in the thorough investigation made by the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s office and the Frontenac Police Department. We’d like to thank them for their hard work on this case, and for their kindness and compassion when communicating with us. There is still an ongoing police investigation, so we kindly ask that you continue to respect our privacy. We have no further comments to make. Our hope is to close this chapter of our lives soon so that we can grieve, move on, and continue to honor the memory of our Sarah.”
As of this recording, it has been nearly two years since Sarah Sweeney died, and five years since Grace Holland died. Both women came to tragic ends, their deaths shrouded in mystery. Although both of their cases remain open, no suspects have been named and no one has been charged. While it is certainly tempting to speculate and try to lay blame, especially when there is a history of abuse, the only thing we know for sure is that Grace and Sarah were taken from their loved ones far too soon. May their memories bring them comfort.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please reach out for help. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to chat with a trained counselor who can connect you to the support and resources you need. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788 for free and confidential help. You don’t have to suffer alone.