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Sally McNeil (born 1960) — aka Killer McNeil — is a former professional American bodybuilder who, on March 19, 1996, was convicted of second degree murder in the 1995 Valentine's Day shooting death of her husband and fellow bodybuilder, Ray McNeil. Ms. McNeil was sentenced 19 years to life for her conviction.
Contents
- Early Life
- Start Of Stellar Career
- From Bodybuilder And Wrestler To Killer Sally
- McNeil In Media
- Where Is Sally McNeil Now
- References
After numerous appeals on a variety of grounds, including improper jury instructions, McNeil's conviction was initially overturned by the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals which resulted in the granting of a writ of habeas corpus. The State of California then appealed to the US Supreme Court which reversed the 9th Circuit's ruling and remanded the case back to that same venue for further action. Relying on information and instructions from the SCOTUS opinion, the 9th Circuit reconsidered the matter and on March 29, 2005 issued their opinion ruling in favor of the State and reinstating Ms. McNeil's original conviction.
McNeil served in the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, reaching the rank of Sergeant. She won the U.S. Armed Services Physique Championship twice in the late 1980s.
As of March 2017, Ms. McNeil is serving her sentence at Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, California.
Early Life
McNeil had a rough childhood, experiencing abuse early on at the hands of her father who was an alcoholic. Before Ray, McNeil married her first husband, Anthony Lowden, and had two children with him named Shantina and John.
McNeil and Lowden then separated after four years of marriage. She officially divorced Lowden in 1986 and moved to Camp Pendleton, California.
Start Of Stellar Career
McNeil became an athlete during high school, training in various sports such as running, swimming, and diving. Eventually, she studied at East Stroudsburg State College before dropping out to serve as a Marine like her brother and father. McNeil reached the rank of Sergeant in the US Marine Corps rankings and won the Armed Forces Bodybuilding Championship twice while she was in service.
After she was discharged from the Marine Corps, McNeil started a career in wrestling, earning the title “Killer Sally” in the muscle worship and wrestling spaces. McNeil also worked in “muscle worship” – where she would wrestle men on video – earning $300 an hour. She made just enough to convince Ray, her husband, to end his military service and continue his bodybuilding career.
From Bodybuilder And Wrestler To “Killer Sally”
Sally met Ray McNeil, a fellow competitive bodybuilder, in 1987 during the Armed Forces Bodybuilding Championship. Along with her children from her previous marriage, Sally and Ray settled in Oceanside, California after getting married.
However, just three days after their marriage, Ray began abusing McNeil and her two children. They suffered abuse from Ray for years until 1995, when McNeil called 911, saying “I just shot my husband because he beat me up.”
At the trial, McNeil claimed self-defense but was convicted of second-degree murder by the US Court. She was sentenced to 19 years in prison for murdering her husband Ray McNeil but ended up serving 25 years. Despite the self-defense claim, McNeil was deemed the aggressor due to her build, according to various reports.
The case of McNeil’s murder has been contested for a long time and was appealed several times due to improper instructions by the jury, among other grounds.
McNeil In Media
Netflix released a three-part documentary titled Killer Sally, which details the murder of McNeil’s husband Ray and the ensuing trial McNeil faced, in 2022. The documentary features interviews with McNeil and her two children.
Though it is about the case of McNeil, Killer Sally touches on domestic violence, the legal system, and its prejudice against women like McNeil. The documentary also covered how both the media and the legal system handled McNeil’s case.
Beyond the trial, the documentary also covered the aftermath of McNeil’s case, including a section wherein she reunites with her children.
Where Is Sally McNeil Now?
After serving her sentence, Sally McNeil was granted parole in 2020 by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. McNeil reconnected with both of her children after she was granted parole and moved to a Veterans Transitional Center in California, where she worked in a warehouse.
In the Center, she met Norfleet Stewart, her current husband at the time of writing.