Child Stars Who Were Murdered

We see them on screen and admire child stars for their looks, creativity, and acting abilities, and although many grow up and live out long lives, others have their lives cut tragically short due to the hands of a killer.

Here's a look at some of the most beloved child stars who lost their lives and how they were murdered.

Tara Correa-McMullen

With no acting experience behind her, Tara Correa-McMullen was cast in the movie Rebound, in which she played the only girl on an all-boys basketball team. From there, she established herself as an actress with a recurring role in Judging Amy, playing Graciela Reyes, a young gang member that Judge Amy Brenneman was trying to help.

At only 15 years of age, Correa-McMullen had taken up with a real-life gang member, Christopher Avery, 10 years her senior. On October 21, 2005, Correa-McMullen was shot and killed in front of her Inglewood apartment by 23-year-old gang member Damien Watts. McMullen was only 16 years old.

Watts was convicted of first-degree murder and is currently serving a life sentence without parole.

Dominique Dunne

Starting with guest appearances on Fame, CHIPS , and Family, Dominique Dunne got her claim to fame when she portrayed Dana Freeling in the horror classic movie Poltergeist in which she played the older sister of Carol Anne, who is kidnapped by evil entities.

Dunne's career was riding high when she met John Thomas Sweeney, with whom she fell in love and moved in with. After much bickering and bouts of violence, Dunne ended the relationship, but Sweeney wouldn't take no for an answer.

On October 30, 1982, Sweeney went to her home to try to reconcile, but Dunne refused. Sweeney strangled her in her driveway, and Dunne was only kept alive in the hospital due to life support. She died five days later on November 4th at the age of 22.

Sweeney was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison. He was released after 2 1/2 years.

Rafael Miguel

Born in 1996, Brazilian actor Rafael Miguel won the hearts of TV viewers with his comedic portrayal of a young boy in a commercial who demanded broccoli from his mother at a grocery store. He appeared in several Brazilian TV shows, including Chiquititas, for which he is best known.

He also appeared on American TV in productions like Peacock's Mrs. Davis, as well as the film Zoey 102, which reunited cast members from the original Zoey 101 TV series, including Jamie Lynn Spears.

On June 9, 2019, both Miguel and his parents were murdered at his girlfriend's house when his girlfriend's father, Paolo Cupertino Matais, opened fire on all three of them, subsequently killing everyone. Miguel was 22 years old.

It took 3 years to apprehend Matais as he fled to Paraguay. He is currently serving a 98 year sentence.

Robert Knox

With only a few acting credits to his name, including King Arthur, After You've Gone, and Employee of the Dead, Robert Knox landed the role he became known for as Marcus Belby in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

His role was received well enough that a plan was made to write his character into the follow-up movie Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Part 1, even though his character had not appeared in the book.

Only 4 days after filming wrapped up, 18-year-old Knox was stabbed to death by Karl Norman Bishop during an altercation at a London pub while trying to protect his 16-year-old brother.

Bishop was arrested and put on trial, where he received life in prison with a minimum of 20 years to be served before being eligible for parole.

Donald Haines

With numerous acting credits as a young boy in the Our Gang series from 1930-1933, Donald Haines continued his acting career up until 1940, appearing in such films as The Return of Wild Bill, Pride of the Bowery, and Flying Wild.

In 1941, Haines enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, later becoming a First Lieutenant during World War II. On February 20, 1943, while in Tunisia, North Africa, Haines was killed in action. He was 23 years old.

Sal Mineo

Beginning his career as a child on Broadway, appearing in The Rose Tattoo and The King and I (alongside Yul Brenner), Sal Mineo made the transition to feature films, including Giant and Somebody Up There Likes Me.

He hit the pinnacle of his career at age 17 when he co-starred with James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause, earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Mineo's acting career continued with appearances in numerous films and TV shows, including Escape From the Planet of the Apes, Columbo, and S.W.A.T.

On February 12, 1976, after returning home from a rehearsal, Mineo was stabbed to death at his apartment building in West Hollywood. It took two years to find the killer of the 37-year-old actor, and finally, the police arrested Lionel Williams for the murder of Mineo. Williams is now serving a life sentence.

Carl Switzer

One of the first child stars on the big screen, Carl Switzer hit fame at seven years of age when he was cast as Alfalfa in the Our Gang film series. With his freckled face and famous cowlick, Switzer soon became a star and appeared in more than 50 of the series shorts in the 1930s.

When Our Gang ended, Switzer continued his acting career, but never hit the same notoriety again.

Along with acting, Switzer started working as a bartender and hunting guide. He ended up getting into a dispute with Moses "Bud" Stiltz after a dog he borrowed from Stiltz ran away. Switzer offered a reward for the dog, and when the dog was returned, he paid the finder the money. Switzer decided that Stiltz owed him the $50 reward, and in the midst of a heated debate, Stiltz shot Switzer, who died at 31 years of age on the way to the hospital.

A debate erupted that Stiltz only shot Switzer in self-defense, although not everyone bought the story. It was ruled that the homicide was in self-defense, and Stiltz walked away from the charges.

Judith Barsi

With a promising acting profession ahead of her, Judith Barsi's young life was cut short when she was only 10 years old. Appearing in the mini series Fatal Vision at the age of 3, Barsi went on to tape numerous commercials along with acting and voiceovers in such films as Jaws: The Revenge, The Land Before Time, and All Dogs Go to Heaven.

Barsi's home life was not a pleasant one, and there were multiple issues as far as her father, József Barsi, was concerned. He became more and more abusive, and on July 27, 1988, he shot both Barsi and her mother while in their home before dousing their bodies and house with gasoline and setting everything on fire.

Upon killing both of them, József Barsi took his own life in the garage of their home.

Sources:

• Carl Switzer - Biography - IMDb
• Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer
• How Did Judith Barsi Die? Inside the Child Star's 1988 Murder
• Actor Sal Mineo is killed in Hollywood | February 12, 1976 | HISTORY
• Sal Mineo | Legacy Project Chicago
• Donald Haines - IMDb
• Robert Knox - Trivia - IMDb
• Rafael Miguel
• Rafael Miguel - Biography - IMDb
• backstage.com
• nbcnews
• The Dominique Dunne Site - Biography