He Murdered 2 Women & GOT AWAY WITH IT?! The Suspicious Case of Grace Holland and Sarah Sweeney

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True Crime with Rachel Shannon 46 min 5 speakers 8 chapters transcribed
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What are the suspicious circumstances surrounding Grace Holland and Sarah Sweeney's deaths?

Rachel Shannon 0:11
We've all heard in most cases that when someone dies suddenly or is murdered, the significant other is the first person to be investigated. Whether it seems possible that the person died from an accident or a self-inflicted injury, those closest to them are always investigated to make sure they didn't have any involvement, especially when there is a lot of suspicion around the people in that person's life before their death. Today, we are going to be discussing the tragic and suspicious deaths of Grace Holland and Sarah Sweeney. I also want to give a disclaimer that any allegations I make in this video or theories that I present are just that. I got much of this information from family members of Grace on their Facebook page, and any allegations I make are based on that information and are my own personal beliefs.
Rachel Shannon 1:00
35-year-old Grace Holland was born on September 23rd, 1984 to parents Patricia and Graham Holland. She grew up in Creve Coeur, Missouri, and had two sisters, one of which was her twin, Laura. Grace was described as a force full of energy and spirit. She grew up going to Catholic school, where she was a part of the police explorer program in high school. She then went on to university, earning a degree in criminal justice.

How did Grace Holland's relationship with Robert Dawes develop?

Rachel Shannon 1:27
After that, Grace went on to get married and in that marriage, she had four daughters who she loved with every fiber of her being. Those girls were her entire world and she put her all into raising them. However, Grace's first marriage did not end up working, so for the time being, she was working to raise those four little girls all on her own. That was until around 2015 or 2016 when she met Robert Dawes, who also had a son of his own from a previous relationship. Robert had an extensive career serving as a firefighter for several years before moving up to being the Maryland Heights fire captain. Robert was known to be very well liked in the community. First responders such as himself work hand in hand with law enforcement and are very respected and honored, especially in smaller communities like the one he was from.
Rachel Shannon 2:18
But Robert was not the only hero in his family. In fact, he came from a family of many first responders. His father, Robert Dawes Sr., was the fire captain before his son took over the role.

What evidence suggests Grace was in an abusive relationship?

Rachel Shannon 2:30
His brother David had also once been a St. Louis police officer. However, with David, this role didn't last long. He was accused of second-degree sexual sodomy, so before any serious charges were filed against him, he resigned from the police force. But that didn't mean that Robert or his family were any less respected in the area. The Dawes family also owned a local company called Liberty Artworks, which makes memorials for the police and fire departments. As you can see, Robert's connections with the town's law enforcement runs deep and his family is embedded in that community. This is one of the things that really drew Grace to Robert when she first met him. She had a profound appreciation for law enforcement, being an active member of her community as well.
Rachel Shannon 3:18
After meeting, the two started a relationship and things progressed from there.

What happened on the night of Grace's tragic death?

Rachel Shannon 3:22
On Facebook, Grace loved posting photos of herself, her girls, and Robert, and all of the fun things they did as a family. Eventually, the pair were engaged and by 2020, the two purchased a home on Conway Drive in Creve Coeur. For months, Grace went back and forth between the home she already lived in on Fairways Drive and their new home, doing different renovations and preparing the home for move-in. However, although those on the outside saw a happy, loving couple, according to Grace's twin sister, Laura, behind closed doors, their relationship wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Laura said that Robert was controlling and possessive. He wouldn't let her work a job on her own. Instead, he got her to quit her job and started working for his family's business.
Rachel Shannon 4:13
But she also was not paid directly for her work. Instead, Robert set it up so that he would get Grace's checks and then pay Grace under the table.

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