‘Killer Sally’: How Did Sally and Ray McNeil Meet?
As the conversation about Netflix true crime docuseries Killer Sally heats up, it is important to fill in some of the blanks regarding her early life and what led up to that fateful night.
To fully understand what took place, a closer examination of Sally McNeil’s life leading up to her marriage to bodybuilder Ray McNeil is necessary. This is not a typical true crime story, as there are many layers of nuance that must be peeled back. Here’s what you should know:
Sally McNeil’s upbringing and first marriage
Sally has described her upbringing as being very tough. Domestic violence was a frequent aspect of her existence. She assumed that everyone grew up in the same manner she did. Sadly, these types of issues dogged Sally throughout her life. Firstly, she was beaten by her father.
Her first husband, Anthony Lowden, was also very abusive. The couple was married for four years, according to Screen Rant. Sally birthed three children, although only two, John and Shantina, were shown during the docuseries.
According to Sally, the marriage started strong before eventually deteriorating. This was her first experience with spousal abuse. Divorce papers were served. Their third child was given up for adoption, leaving Sally to care for Shantina and John on her own.
Sally McNeil’s time in the military when she first met Ray McNeil
Once her marriage to Lowden had dissolved, Sally joined the military. She became a Marine, inspired by her brother and uncle’s respective military experiences. It was not long before she became a sergeant. At this time, she also began competing in bodybuilding competitions open to serving Marines. Winning two U.S. Armed Services Physique Championships encouraged her passion for bodybuilding.
In 1987, she was introduced to Ray by a friend, who was also a Marine. After a whirlwind romance of two months, the two wed.
Three years after meeting, Sally was demoted from her position because of consistent behavioral issues, including violence, anger, and repeatedly lashing out at her fellow Marines. From there, she was discharged from the military. The two moved to Oceanside, California, where professional bodybuilding became their sole means of income.
Ray and Sally McNeil’s marriage
Sally and her children say that she endured a significant amount of abuse at the hands of Ray, as The Guardian reports. In addition to the beatings, Ray was also unfaithful. Three days into their marriage, Ray cracked her lip with a punch to the face.
It was not uncommon for the children to see Sally being choked by Ray. Daughter Shantina has vivid memories of watching her mother gasp for breath. Sally’s nose was broken, and her attempts at filing a police report did not go according to plan. Ray repeatedly beat her until she promised to recant her story.
On the night of Ray’s death, footage from the police interrogation room depicts her then-fourth-grade son, John, telling his mother that she would be OK because she had acted in self-defense.
The night of Ray McNeil’s murder
Doubt has since been cast on Sally’s story of how the murder occurred. Even Sally herself is on record as admitting that her memories could be erroneous. Her body language during the ensuing police interview was cited. Authorities also had doubts about her acting in self-defense because the trajectory of the shots shows that Ray must have been on the floor for at least one of them.
Sally claimed she was beaten up and choked before shooting Ray. But none of her DNA was eventually found on his person. After she was convicted of second-degree murder in 1996, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals elected to overturn the conviction. The State of California later reinstated it.
