On Valentine’s Day in 1995, a couple’s escalating quarrel ended in deadly fashion after a shotgun exploded in their apartment in Oceanside, California. So, the three-part Netflix documentary “Sally the Killer” tackles everything that led to Ray McNeil’s murder and subsequent trial. While prosecutors believe it was a cold-blooded murder, the killer’s lawyer said it was self-defense. So if you’re wondering what’s going on in this situation, you’ve come to the right place.
How did Ray McNeill die?
Ray McNeil was born in North Carolina and grew up with his aunt. According to the show, he grew up in poverty and eventually joined the U.S. Marine Corps to maintain financial stability. There he met Sergeant Sally Lowden in 1987, and the two married after a few months of dating. They both do share a passion for bodybuilding, and at the time of the event, Ray had already received his pro card and was only a few days away from attending the event in Miami, Florida. They live in Oceanside with Sally’s ex-wife Sandina and John’s two children.
Authorities were called to McNeil’s home on February 14, 1995, at approximately 10:40 p.m. They found Ray bleeding profusely on his hands and knees. The 29-year-old suffered gunshot wounds to the abdomen and face, a large hole in his torso and a fractured upper jaw. Ray was taken to hospital, but unfortunately passed away shortly after, making the case a homicide. An autopsy then revealed he had five steroids in his system at the time. While authorities know who shot him, it’s important to figure out why it happened.
Who killed Ray McNeill?
The first thing the investigation revealed was that Ray went out to buy chicken that night. Although his usual shop closed at 8.30pm, he didn’t return home until around 10.30pm, leading to an argument between him and his wife. Sally then learned that he went to another store and bought a more expensive brand of chicken. Since she also suspected at the time that he was cheating on her, she began to angrily criticize him for not looking good enough to perform well in the upcoming bodybuilding competition.
Sally told authorities that Ray physically manipulated her, pinning her to the ground and then strangling her. She claimed she fought back and ran away, but then went to her bedroom, where they put a shotgun, fearing for her life. Sally told police she took two grenades; she loaded one and walked out. Ray was cooking chicken in the kitchen when she opened fire. Sally claims Ray approached her and tricked her into loading a second grenade and shooting him again.
Sally then handed the gun to a neighbor and called 911. In the context of the call, Ray was heard asking why she shot him, to which Sally replied: “I told you I wasn’t taking you anymore. When the authorities arrived, she told them that Ray suffocated her. But Ray, who was alive at the time, denied this. Officials later learned their relationship was fraught with toxicity. Not only did Ray have multiple affairs in their marriage, but their quarrels often turned physical.
When Sally was finally tried for murder, prosecutors claimed she killed Ray for insurance money and knew he would leave her. They even presented evidence of their patterns of aggression and violence. In 1990, she was arrested for pointing a gun at her ex-husband. A few days later, after an argument with her second husband Ray, she smashed something heavy on his car from the balcony. In another incident, Sally attacked a woman at a bodybuilding competition after she suspected she was having an affair with Ray.
As if that wasn’t enough, in 1993, Sally attacked a bouncer at a Pennsylvania bar and later threatened to kill the subpoenaed officer. In addition, a prosecution expert testified that the nail marks on her neck may have been self-inflicted because Ray’s nails were too short and her DNA was not in them. The state claimed the shooting was not in self-defense because a used shotgun shell was found in the bedroom. This led prosecutors to claim that Sally went back to the bedroom to reload after shooting Ray once, contradicting her initial statement. She claims she never entered the bedroom after the first shooting.
