In Knoxville, Tennessee, a domestic tragedy ended the life of Tom Sweeten, a 55-year-old man who was a public relations employee for the Tennessee Valley Authority and a former managing editor of the Knoxville Journal. On January 24, 1990, Sweeten was shot and killed by his wife, Dorothea Sweeten, who was 66 at the time.
The incident, which took place at the couple's home, also resulted in the death of Dorothea's 39-year-old son, Charles H.
Forester Jr., who had an intellectual disability. Authorities reported that Dorothea's actions were part of a planned suicide. She allegedly killed her son out of concern that no one else would be able to provide the special care he required.
Following the shootings, Dorothea, a retired police captain, held a pistol to her own head for approximately an hour. A SWAT negotiator successfully de-escalated the situation, convincing her to surrender the weapon. Dorothea Sweeten was then arrested and charged with the murders of her husband and son, with bail set at $40,000. However, she passed away before her case could proceed to trial.
