A couple of weekends ago I visited the grave of Renée Sweeney. 

While planning out a hike that weekend, I checked which cemeteries would be along the way. One of them just so happened to be her resting place. 

I usually don’t spend as much time in newer cemeteries because the stones and symbolism are much more modern and not as nuanced. This cemetery is full of some very interesting stones and stories. Because I was searching for one grave in particular, I took my time walking through the rows, examining every stone. I came across some lovely stones and epitaphs, as well as some heartbreaking ones.

But none as heartbreaking as the family plot of Renée Sweeney. 

Her grave marker is small, laying flat to the earth, but it tells a story of a life cut short, that had a lot of love yet to give. The epitaph reads “Loving Daughter and Sister, Life is fleeting Love is forever” A trombone is engraved on her stone, as well as a treble clef and an angel. She is buried beside her mother.

What happened to Renée is terrifying and heart-wrenching. She was 23 years old when she was brutally murdered in 1998. She was stabbed at least 30 times while working at Adults Only Video. 

Her murder went unsolved for 20 years.

In 2018, Robert Steven Wright was arrested. He faces a second-degree murder charge. Due to the pandemic, he is still awaiting trial. His new trial date as of this writing is October 25th, 2021. The trial is expected to last 5 weeks.

Renée’s story can be found in more detail in Unsolved Sudbury: Missing. Murdered. Unexplained. by Sarah May. Books are available locally at Bay Used Books, Jan Browning Boutique, and Sudbury Paint and Custom Framing.

If you are interested in learning more about this tragic history, you can read more about it at these links:

• Tragic anniversary: A recap of the 20-year investigation into Renée Sweeney’s murder and the ongoing court case | Sudbury.com
• Trial date for Steven Wright, accused in Renee Sweeney murder case, moves to Oct. 25 | CBC
• Missing, murdered, unexplained: Sudbury author tells local women’s stories | Sudbury.com