Netflix's new true-crime documentary Killer Sally details the events surrounding the 1995 murder of Mr. Olympia contestant Ray McNeil, but some details were omitted from the limited series. The documentary focuses on former amateur wrestler Sally McNeil aka Killer Sally, Ray's wife and killer, who tells her story in interviews covering much of her early life, her marriage to Ray, the night of the murder and consequences and trial coverage. Although Sally's account of events is complete, she mentions that she is only human and her memory is not perfect. Coupled with the fact that only his story is told to the public, it is difficult to determine what is fact and what is fiction.
Killer Sally departs from many other true crime documentaries on Netflix when Sally tells her own story. In fact, Sally McNeil herself wanted her story told. Indeed, the documentary revealed the devastating reality for Sally of being trapped in a cycle of abuse, not only at the hands of her husband, Ray, but also by her parents during childhood, and even the unfortunate effects that this had. has on his children. Killer Sally has become one of Netflix's most popular true crime shows since its October 2022 release, thanks in large part to the personal touch of having Sally on camera, but she hasn't always told the whole story. story to the public.
Why Did Sally McNeil Really Kill Her Husband?
According to Sally McNeil in her interview with Killer Sally, on Valentine's Day 1995, Ray McNeil had spent much of the night away from home, but with his wife. Worried about his whereabouts and fearing that he had spent the evening with one of his other lovers, Sally prepared to go to the local bar to look for him. While getting ready, Ray returned home and the pair argued over where he had been, culminating in Ray starting to punch and smother Sally in anger, which was made worse by his use of steroids.
In Sally's account, she managed to escape her uncontrollable husband and crawled into the bedroom, where she kept a sawed-off shotgun to protect herself and her children. She shot Ray in the stomach, although according to the documentary Killer Sally, Ray was getting closer and closer to Sally, forcing her to fire another bullet which hit him in the face and threw him to the floor. Sally immediately called 911 and confessed to the murder, although Ray later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Killer Sally Was Married & Had Children Before Ray
The Netflix true-crime documentary covered Sally McNeil's life before her marriage to Ray McNeil, including her previous marriage to a man named Anthony Lowden. Sally and Anthony were married for four years and had three children, although only two were featured in the Killer documentary Sally, Shantina and John. Sally has mentioned that her relationship with Anthony started strong but soured after the couple married, leading to Sally's early experiences of domestic abuse and the eventual meaning of the divorce papers. When the couple divorced, their third child was put up for adoption and taken in by another family, leaving Sally as a single mother with two young children.
Killer Sally's Time In The Marines (& Why She Was Demoted)
After divorcing Anthony Lowden, Sally McNeil joined the Navy, following in the footsteps of her uncle and brother, who had also been in the armed forces. He served at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County and rose to the rank of sergeant while also participating in bodybuilding to serve in the Marines. Twice in the late 1980s, Sally won the United States Armed Forces Physique Championship and began her passion for bodybuilding. Finally, in 1987, a friend introduced her to Ray McNeil, who also served as a Marine. The couple had been together for just two months before getting married.
The documentary Killer Sally details Sally's behavioral issues while serving in the Marine Corps, but does not elaborate on what ensued. In 1990, Sally was demoted from her position as a sergeant due to her consistently poor behavior, which included issues with anger, violence, and attacks on others. His driving record also meant he could not re-enlist in the armed forces after serving his sentence. Ultimately, it was this chain of events that led to Sally's release from the military and when Ray left as well, they settled in Oceanside, California and pursued their dreams of professional bodybuilding. as a source of income.
Killer Sally's Violent Family Explained
Sadly, it was a problem that haunted Sally every moment of her life as a child and as an adult, first from her father, then from her first husband, and finally from Ray. Ray McNeil's adultery began just three days after their wedding and centered not only on Sally, but also on her two children, who had become Ray's stepchildren. However, the violence was not one-sided, as the actual documentation of the crime shows. In fact, Sally herself suffered from severe anger management issues and was often violent as well.
While mentioning some of Sally's abuse, Killer Sally avoided going into too much detail about those events. Shortly after starting her business "Killer Sally" and signing up to fight paying customers, Sally pinned one of Ray's lovers to the ground and beat her up, resulting in her being suspended from the National Physics Committee for one year. This led to Sally pointing her gun at Ray for the first time before the police pepper sprayed him. Sally also got into a run-in with a club owner after being told not to dance on tables, kicked her in the face and threatened to kill cops when they verbally assaulted her.
Why Killer Sally's Husband Gave Up Professional Wrestling In 1994
In 1994, just a year before his eventual assassination, Ray McNeil retired from professional wrestling, wishing for a career change and a seemingly life change, as that was when his business also began to take a turn for the worse. end. Perhaps inspired by the works of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ray decided to pursue a career in acting, even going so far as to take acting lessons while Sally McNeil was working. The former bodybuilder also dabbled in stand-up comedy, showcasing his stuff on free comedy shows at the Comedy Club in La Jolla, San Diego.
Along with his acting and comedy career, Ray took it upon himself to become Sally's bodybuilding mentor. Although it may have seemed like a romantic and affectionate gesture to the outside eye, this decision only made their relationship more hostile. Their battles became heated and turbulent, with both sides engaging in violence. Ray's career transition and resulting animosity took place in the months leading up to his murder, and tensions between the couple grew until they eventually went their separate ways.
Killer Sally's Story Of Valentine's Day 1995 Didn't Really Make Sense
Sally McNeil's account of Valentine's Day in 1995 certainly sounded incredibly compelling in interviews with Killer Sally, but it has to be taken with a grain of salt because that's only one side of the story, and Sally her -even admits that his memory may not be the only one. is more reliable. As seen in the new Netflix documentary, evidence emerged during Sally's trial that called into question the validity of the story she told, including her body language during the initial police interview. , the trajectory of the bullets fired at Ray (one of which must have been). shot while he was lying on the ground) and blood splattered on his living room lamp.
One test that Killer Sally didn't mention was the DNA test, which is usually the turning point of any good true crime documentary. In the case of Sally McNeil, none of her DNA was found on Ray's body, discrediting her story of being beaten and choked relentlessly in the minutes before she shot Ray. There's no doubt that Ray McNeil abused her and her children, but if Sally had been beaten as badly that night as she said, her DNA would be on Ray, so it's odd that none have been found.
Why Sally McNeil's Conviction Was Overturned, Then Reinstated
Sally claimed self-defense in court but was convicted of second degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to 19 years life imprisonment. This meant that the jury thought they intended to kill Ray McNeil, but did so unplanned and spontaneously. During her time in prison, Sally filed numerous parole applications for various reasons, including improper jury instructions. The United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturned his conviction, although the State of California took it to the United States Supreme Court, which overturned the decision and reinstated his conviction in 2004.
Sally McNeil served 25 years at the Central California Women's Center in Chowchilla, Calif., before she was finally paroled in May 2020 and reconnected with her now adult children. The story of Sally and Ray McNeil is truly tragic, full of violence and confusion. While Killer Sally ends with Sally being freed, Ray certainly didn't have a happy ending, though it certainly remains unclear on which side of the story the truth really lies.
Sally McNeil's Netflix Docuseries Opened Up Abuse Conversations Worldwide
The Netflix documentary Sally McNeil Killer Sally has further fueled global conversations about the nature of guilt in cases where the abused kill their abusers. Although circumstances vary from case to case, Sally's story is far from unique. According to researchers (via the Vera Institute of Justice), approximately 77% of women incarcerated in US prisons are also survivors of domestic violence.
Alarmingly, in a related study (via Penal Reform International) that looked at jurisdictions in the United States, Japan, Brazil, India, Hong Kong, Poland, Mexico, Australia, and Spain, data reflect an alarming global trend. "When women are incarcerated for violent crimes, there is often an undercurrent of domestic and/or sexual abuse that in many cases drives the crime." To shed light on the story of Sally McNeil, Killer Sally continues crucial conversations about the institutional treatment of women who killed their perpetrators in self-defense.
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