Did ‘Killer Sally’ McNeil Kill Her Husband in Cold Blood—Or Was She Fighting for Her Life?
On Valentine’s Day, 1995, a night meant for love turned into a nightmare. In a house filled with tension, former Marines and professional bodybuilders Sally and Ray McNeil had their final, fatal argument.
In a fit of desperation—or was it premeditation?—Sally grabbed a 12-gauge shotgun from the closet and fired. The first blast tore into Ray’s abdomen, bringing the muscular champion to his knees. But she wasn’t finished. She reloaded and pulled the trigger again, this time aiming for his face. Their two young children, 11-year-old Shantina and 9-year-old John, were in the house when the shots rang out.
The McNeils weren’t just any couple. In the high-stakes world of professional bodybuilding, they were stars. Ray, crowned Mr. California in 1991, was at the peak of his career. Sally, twice a U.S. Armed Services Physique Champion, was a powerhouse in her own right. But behind the glossy magazine covers was a marriage poisoned by jealousy, infidelity, physical abuse, and the uncontrollable rage fueled by steroids.
A Marriage Built on Violence
“My life with Ray was very turbulent,” Sally would later admit. “I left him about three times, and he followed me to my new address… Looking back, I should have left him after the third day of our marriage.”
Sally wasn’t just Ray’s wife—she was also a female submission wrestler, earning the nickname “Killer Sally” in underground circuits. When she called 911 on that fateful night, she claimed self-defense. Ray had choked her, she insisted. She feared for her life. But as he lay there bleeding, Ray gasped out one last word: “No.”
Despite her claims, the prosecution saw a different story—one of jealousy, rage, and greed. Sally, they argued, killed her husband in cold blood, hoping to cash in on a life insurance policy. And there was another damning piece of evidence: Sally had a history of violent outbursts, once even assaulting a woman she suspected of having an affair with Ray.
The ‘Battered Wife’ Defense—Or a Convenient Excuse?
At trial, the defense argued that Sally suffered from Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS), a condition that left her trapped in an abusive relationship, convinced that leaving would only escalate the danger. An expert testified that Sally had endured years of Ray’s brutal beatings, leaving her with broken bones and a shattered psyche.
“People don’t understand why someone stays with a person who treats them so badly,” domestic violence expert Dr. Don Dutton explained. “But a victim with BWS suffers from low self-esteem, trauma, anxiety, and depression. They also form an unnatural attachment to the abuser.”
The question the jury had to answer was simple yet complex: Was Sally McNeil truly in fear for her life, or was she using BWS as a shield for a calculated killing?
The Verdict: Justice or Misjudgment?
In 1996, the jury delivered its decision: second-degree murder. Sally McNeil was sentenced to life in a California state prison.
But her fight wasn’t over. She appealed, arguing that the jury hadn’t been properly allowed to consider BWS in its deliberations. And in 2003, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, overturning her conviction. For a moment, it seemed like Sally might walk free.
But then the State of California fought back. The U.S. Supreme Court reinstated her conviction, sealing her fate once again in 2005.
Even if the jury had been allowed to fully consider BWS, some experts argue it might not have changed the outcome.
“It appears there was violence on both ends, which is not uncommon,” Penn State law professor Kit Kinports observed. “But it doesn’t make you look helpless. Since the jury convicted her of second-degree murder, it seems they didn’t believe she was honestly afraid.”
A Controversial Case That Still Haunts True Crime Fans
Even today, the case of Sally McNeil divides opinions. Was she a battered wife pushed to the brink, a woman who saw no other way out? Or was she a violent and jealous spouse who took justice into her own hands?
One thing is certain: The story of ‘Killer Sally’ McNeil is not just a tale of bodybuilding, steroids, and murder. It’s a chilling glimpse into the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator, self-defense and cold-blooded homicide.
