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What could someone have done to have the word “Killer” put before their name?
People who have seen Killer Sally on their Netflix account’s suggested documentary series must have this question.
The three-part docuseries details the life and legal troubles of Sally McNeil, a former professional bodybuilder and a mother of two.
In 1996, Sally was convicted of second-degree murder for shooting her husband, Ryan McNeil, in an alleged act of self-defense.
Suppose you’ve never watched Netflix’s Killer Sally and are still interested in the murder case.
In that case, you likely want to know about former bodybuilder Sally McNeil’s prison experience, including whether she is still in jail.
You might also want to know the events surrounding Sally’s legal situation.
LookUpInmate.org provides essential information regarding inmates and the criminal justice system in the United States.
This article discusses the events surrounding Sally McNeil’s legal situation, including her prison time and experience.
Read more about Sally’s current life and whereabouts.
How Many Years Did Sally Serve?
Sally McNeil served nearly 25 years in the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, California. She was released on parole in May 2020.
With the Support of Her Family and Wrestling Peers, ‘Killer Sally’ McNeil Survived Her Time in Jail
In one interview, Sally McNeil said that the support of her family, especially her children, and her friends from the wrestling and bodybuilding community helped her go through her prison experience.
The only reported support Sally got during her legal battles was from her children, Shantina and John, and friend, Peggy Hook.
Sally received little support during her trial, while Ray’s friends testified she was violent and controlling.
The late bodybuilder Ray McNeil was Sally’s second husband.
Sally McNeil Refused to Engage in Fights With Other Prisoners
In the same interview above, Sally said she is disciplined and has respect for authority.
In fact, she refused to fight with other prisoners despite provocations from fellow inmates.
Sally said she could’ve fought back, but she feared she would never obtain parole if she did.
According to her, in prison, you could get a write-up for behavior leading to violence if a correctional officer catches you fighting — even if you only did so as an act of self-defense.
Working Out Helped Sally McNeil Maintain Her Fighting Shape While in Prison
Working out may have also boosted Sally’s confidence while in prison. Even when gym equipment was limited, she maintained being a “lean, mean fighting machine” behind bars.
Sally McNeil Was Released From Prison in 2020
Sally was released on parole in May 2020.
While in prison, Sally applied for parole multiple times on various grounds, including improper jury instructions.
Once, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned her conviction. However, the U.S. Supreme Court of California reversed the decision and reinstated Sally’s conviction in 2004.
What Happened to Killer Sally?
On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1995, Sally McNeil killed her husband, Ray McNeil.
Sally shot Ray twice with a sawed-off shotgun after he strangled her to a point where she believed he would kill her.
Their children, 9-year-old John and 11-year-old Shantina, were in the house then.
Shantina testified in court that she heard her mother making distinctive gurgling sounds before the shooting incident.
After shooting her husband, Sally rang 911 and said, “I just shot my husband because he beat me up.”
Following her arrest, Sally was charged with second-degree murder. The prosecution argued that her crime was premeditated, citing the fact that she reloaded her gun before firing the final shot.
Prosecutor Dan Goldstein called Sally a “bully” and used her physique to portray her as a “monster,” “thug,” and a jealous wife.
The prosecuting side also alleged that the incident resulted from “roid rage” because Sally and Ray were both steroid users.
At the time, headlines referred to Sally using odd monikers, including “pumped-up princess” and “brawny bride.”
A year later, a court found Sally guilty of second-degree murder and issued her a 19-year-to-life prison sentence.
In the third and final episode of the Netflix docuseries titled Killer Sally, Sally, who reconnected with her children, said she didn’t deserve the long prison sentence.
Sally initially wanted to appeal her case. But after her release, she no longer cared, saying, “I’m just so happy I’m free.”
What Happened to Ray McNeil?
On February 14, 1995, at 10:30 P.M., Ray returned home after finishing a workout in the gym.
Sally and Ray got into an argument. Sally retrieved their 12-gauge shotgun from the bedroom and shot her husband with it twice, hitting him in the jaw and stomach.
After shooting her husband, Sally immediately called 911 to report the incident.
Emergency respondents lifted Ray to Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, California. However, he died several hours later.
Tests indicated traces of steroids in Ray’s bloodstream. Later on, Sally would reveal in an interview that anabolic steroids caused Ray’s violence against her.
How Sally McNeil Ended Her Husband’s Life: A Planned Killing or a Defensive Act?
Sally claimed she shot Ray to save her own life. However, the jury did not believe her self-defense argument.
One juror commented that there was no imminent danger, saying Sally “just decided” to end Ray’s life.
The prosecution argued that Sally premeditated the murder of her husband. They claimed that Ray was leaving Sally, so she killed him for the life insurance money.
Sally’s defense lawyers couldn’t present any DNA evidence that Ray attacked her.
The prosecutors emphasized the fact there was a shell in the couple’s bedroom, indicating that Sally had to return there to reload the gun.
Sally never denied shooting her husband. She said she only wanted to leave the house, but Ray wouldn’t let her.
During the interrogation, after receiving the news that Ray had died from his injuries, Sally collapsed on the table in front of her.
Sally said, in between sobs, that she “didn’t want to be that way” and that she just wanted Ray to “stop hitting me.”
Their Two Kids Were Also Affected
As mentioned, Sally and Ray’s children, John and Shantina, were present in their residence when the shooting occurred.
John and Shantina corroborated their mother’s story regarding domestic abuse.
Sally’s son and daughter joined the military after her imprisonment. John, who served five combat tours in Afghanistan, experienced PTSD and drug addiction.
Meanwhile, Shantina joined the U.S. Army for 16 years. She also developed PTSD due to her military experience and experience of being in an abusive relationship.
What Happened During Killer Sally’s Trial?
During her trial, Sally testified that her husband had been abusive. A defense expert suggested she suffered a battered woman’s syndrome.
Sally claimed that Ray attempted to choke her. However, she escaped, retrieved their shotgun, and shot her husband due to fear that he would kill her.
During Sally McNeil’s trial, she claimed that she was a battered woman and that she shot her husband out of fear for her life.
There were finger marks around Sally’s neck after the shooting.
However, the State countered with forensic evidence showing that the fingernail marks on her neck were not her husband’s and may have been self-inflicted.
The court determined that Sally murdered Ray after confronting him about his infidelity and spending habits.
The state of California charged Sally with murder.
Who Is Sally McNeil?
Sally Marie McNeil was born on May 29, 1960, in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
She had a “tough” childhood filled with situations where she had to defend herself.
Her exposure to physical violence from childhood to early adulthood led her to believe that her experience was the norm.
To gain social approval, Sally McNeil became a student-athlete. She enrolled at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (then East Stroudsburg State College), hoping to become a gym teacher someday.
After three and a half years, with just one semester left, Sally ran out of money to fund her education.
Consequently, she joined the Marine Corps, where she started bodybuilding and met Ray McNeil, another bodybuilder and fellow Marine.
The two bonded over their love of fitness and wedded each other in 1987.
Why and How Did Sally Turn to Wrestle?
Three years into marriage, Sally was discharged from her Navy duties. She switched her career to “muscle worship,” a practice where she engaged in private wrestling sessions with men.
In Killer Sally, the former bodybuilding champion said she could earn $3,000 by wrestling ten men.
How Did She Meet Her Husband, Ray McNeil?
On Valentine’s Day of 1987, during the Armed Forces Bodybuilding Championship, a divorced Sally met Ray McNeil, the would-be stepfather to her children.
Commenting on their first meeting, Sally likened Ray to a statue of David and confessed to having a “lust at first sight.”
Where Is Sally McNeil Today?
You likely have one question after reading the story above, “Where is Sally McNeil now?” After her release from prison, Sally lived at the Veterans Transition Center, where she worked at a warehouse.
She now lives in Northern California with her third husband, Norfleet Stewart, whom she met at a VCT support group.
How Old Is Sally McNeil?
As of 2023, Sally McNeil is 63 years old. Sally was 27 years old on the day she shot Ray.
Where Are Sally’s Children, John and Shantina, Now?
The McNeil siblings now have children and work in their respective careers. John lives in Texas and has a son.
Shantina also has a son but lives in Georgia, where she works as an IT network administrator for the Defense Logistics Agency.
Are Sally and Norfleet Still Together?
As mentioned above, Sally McNeil and Norfleet Stewart are still together. The two got married after being together for over a year.
John, Sally’s son from her first marriage, walked his mother down the aisle during the wedding ceremony.
What Does the Netflix Documentary Show About Sally McNeil?
Netflix’s true crime documentary, Killer Sally, is a gripping three-part docuseries narrating the true story surrounding former bodybuilder Sally McNeil’s once-trending murder trial, prison life, and eventual release.
According to The Guardian, the three-part series is less an investigation of what happened at the time of Ray’s death than a detailed analysis of how the media and the U.S. legal system handled McNeil’s case.
Nanette Burstein on Killer Sally
The Netflix documentary was directed by the award-winning American filmmaker Nanette Burstein. It uses interviews with Sally and her two children to tell the former wrestler’s story decades after she shot her husband, allegedly as an act of self-defense.
In an interview with Newsweek, Burstein gave an insight into Sally’s real-life personality, saying that the former bodybuilding champion was very open about the matter, even when it involved admitting her flaws.
According to the director, Sally was not a perfect victim and didn’t try to hide the fact.
Sally’s story did not fit most people’s stereotypical understanding of a victim. They often think of female victims as passive, weak individuals who don’t fight back against their abusive partners.
Indeed, “Killer Sally” does not match the typical description of an abuse victim in many ways. She was a Marine, a champion bodybuilder, and a heavily muscled, physically strong, Amazon-like woman.
However, none of these characteristics changes the fact that Ray battered his wife.