Two women found dead in Missouri firefighter’s home years apart

(NewsNation) — A 39-year-old woman was found dead in Missouri inside the home of a firefighter who was previously connected to another woman’s death.

Local doctor Sarah Kathleen Sweeney was found dead in Frontenac, Missouri, in what investigators called a sudden death.

In 2021, local station First Alert 4 investigated the death of Grace Holland after she died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Police ruled her death a suicide, but Grace’s family was, and still is, concerned about how the investigation was conducted. This is in part because Holland’s fiance is a captain in a neighboring fire department.

Now, police are investigating Sweeney’s death. Police told First Alert 4 they were called around 6:45 a.m. and found Sweeney deceased inside. Officials say there were no obvious signs of injury or struggle.

The medical examiner’s office said it would need a toxicology report and further investigation to determine the cause of death.

Holland’s family learned about Sweeney’s death soon after.

“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,” an attorney for Holland, Javad Khazaeli, said in a statement.

Some of Sweeney’s family members told local media they were not aware of any life-threatening medical condition or any immediate reason for her sudden death.

They say one of their last texts to Sweeney was to tell her to “get away from that firefighter,” according to First Alert 4.

The local news station did not name the firefighter. A spokesperson for the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office told First Alert 4 they are still reviewing Holland’s case.