On October 30, 1982, a few weeks after Sweeney and Dunne broke up, Dunne was at her West Hollywood home rehearsing for the miniseries "V" with actor David Packer. While she was speaking to a female friend on the phone, Sweeney had the operator break into the conversation. Dunne told her friend, "Oh God, it's Sweeney. Let me get him off the phone." Ten minutes later, Sweeney showed up at Dunne's home. After speaking to him through the locked door, Dunne agreed to speak to him on the porch while Packer remained inside. Outside, the two began to argue. Packer later said he heard smacking sounds, two screams and a thud. He called police but was told that Dunne's home was out of their jurisdiction. Packer then phoned a friend and told him if he was found dead, John Sweeney was his killer. Packer left the home through the back entrance, approached the driveway, and saw Sweeney in some nearby bushes kneeling over Dunne. Sweeney told Packer to call the police. When police arrived, Sweeney met them in the driveway with his hands in the air and stated, "I killed my girlfriend and I tried to kill myself." Sweeney later testified that he and Dunne had argued, but he could not remember what happened after their exchange. He claimed he could only recall being on top of her with his hands around her neck.