When Ray McNeil died on Valentine’s Day in 1995, it was eventually determined that his wife, Sally McNeil, was responsible for shooting him to death. The case was documented in the 2022 documentary Killer Sally, where Sally insisted her husband’s death was an act of self defense.
Life & Style breaks down everything to know about the former body builder, as well as details about Rays’ death.
Who Is Sally McNeil?
After she dropped out of East Stroudsburg State College, Sally joined the United States Marine Corps and managed to work her way up to the role of Sergeant.
She married fellow Marine Anthony “Tony” Lowden, and they went on to welcome daughter Shantina and son John. However, their marriage wasn’t meant to be and they finalized their divorce on May 25, 1987.
Sally was relocated to California, where she began bodybuilding. She quickly found success and even earned fourth place in the U.S. Armed Service Physique Championships on Valentine’s Day 1987. She continued to professionally bodybuild and Sally went on to win two championships.
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She left the Marines in 1993 to focus on bodybuilding. Sally later began to make wrestling videos, while she also formed her own production company.
Sally McNeil Has a History of Violence
Before she killed Ray, Sally had several violent outbursts in public. As documented in Killer Sally, she attacked a woman who allegedly flirted with Ray and even got into a fight with five police officers.
Why Did Sally McNeil Kill Her Husband Ray McNeil?
Sally married Ray, a fellow bodybuilder, in 1987 just two months after they met. The pair, who competed in bodybuilding competitions together, faced money issues and experienced domestic violence throughout their marriage.
In Killer Sally, Sally claimed that Ray punched her in the face and split her lip just three days after they got married. She also claimed that he allegedly beat her and choked her. Ray allegedly also broke Sally’s nose in front of her children at one point.
Sally eventually killed Ray with a shotgun on Valentine’s Day in 1995.
On the evening of his murder, Sally and Ray got into a fight when he arrived home late for a Valentine’s Day celebration. Sally claimed in the documentary that he hit her and choked her, and she admitted she worried she wouldn’t “make it through this night.”
Sally managed to get away from Ray. She then got her loaded shotgun out of her bedroom before she shot him in the abdomen and head.
“I just shot my husband because he just beat me up,” Sally said in the 911 call, which was featured in Killer Sally.
While Ray was alive at the time Sally called 911, he died after he was transported to the hospital.
Was Sally McNeil Convicted of Ray McNeil’s Murder?
Following Ray’s death, Sally went to trial for his murder. Her violent past and bodybuilding career were used against her, while prosecution argued that she was “too strong to be battered.” Prosecutors also argued that Ray’s death was premeditated because she shot him twice after she grew to believe that he was having an affair.
Sally remained adamant that Ray’s killing was out of self defense, though she was eventually convicted of second-degree murder on March 19, 1996, and was sentenced to 19 years to life.
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Sally McNeil Filed to Appeal Her Sentence
Sally later appealed her sentence and the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned her conviction in 2003, according to A&E. The state of California then took the case to the Supreme Court, where the appeal was reversed. Her original sentence was then reinstated in 2005.
After she served 25 years in prison, Sally was granted parole on May 29, 2020.
