Sarah Sweeney: Doctor found dead at fiance’s home, 3 years after ex-lover's 'suicide' in same house

WESTWOOD, MISSOURI: Dr Sarah Sweeney, a 39-year-old Missouri doctor, was discovered dead in the home of her fiance, local fire captain Robert Daus, mirroring the tragic events of his previous fiance's death in the same house three years earlier.

On Saturday, January 13, Frontenac Police in suburban St Louis reported the discovery, noting no apparent signs of struggle. The incident was classified as a sudden death, pending further examination by medical authorities.

Who was Dr Sarah Sweeney?

Dr Sweeney, originally from West Virginia, had relocated to Missouri to establish her podiatry practice. A graduate of North Carolina State University and Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery in Florida, she had completed her surgical residency in Miami before practicing in Port Arthur, Texas, and later moving to St Louis.

The link between Daus and Sweeney can be traced back to their encounter during Sweeney's emergency room shift shortly after she relocated to St Louis.

Described as "vibrant and outgoing," Sweeney was recognized for her passion for animals, as she had rescued and owned several dogs and cats over the years.

Sweeney's mother, Teresa Sweeney Light, disclosed that her daughter had been managing mast cell activation syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition.

"We just wish we could have her back. We just want closure, we want it to be truthful and fair, and as of right now, we're still in shock," the distraught mother said.

Robert Daus' former fiance Grace Holland's death raises unanswered questions

In 2020, 35-year-old Grace Holland, mother of four, met a similar fate, succumbing to a single gunshot wound to the head in Daus' residence.

The lawsuit alleged, "Daus has never given any explanation regarding what happened the night of Grace’s death, much less explained how Grace went from being in bed at the Conway house to dead in the Fairways house seven hours later." 

"The gunshot wound is to her left temple. Grace is right-handed. When she trained in using firearms, she used only her right hand. A self-inflicted gunshot wound to the left temple is inconsistent with being right-handed."

The tragic history in Daus' home prompted Holland's family to file a wrongful death lawsuit against him in July.

The lawsuit alleges physical and mental abuse within Daus and Holland's relationship, claiming that Daus pressured Holland to work for his family company to control her finances.

Despite the couple purchasing a house together, Holland's family asserts that Daus manipulated the situation, leaving her off the deed.

The lawsuit details instances of alleged abuse, including a claim that Daus offered $600 to Holland to abort their child, as per Daily Mail.

Subsequently, Daus, a captain at Maryland Heights Fire District and Vice President of his family-owned business Liberty Art Works, has denied any wrongdoing in Holland's death.

Grace Holland's family expresses investigation bias, citing Robert Daus' fire department ties

Despite the police ruling her death as a suicide, Holland's family raised concerns about the investigation, alleging potential bias due to Daus' affiliation with the fire department.

Expressing their sorrow for the loss of another young life, an attorney for Holland's family urged Frontenac Police to conduct a thorough investigation.

"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," said the attorney.