Sally McNeil Age, Bio, Husband, Net Worth

Who is Sally McNeil

Sally McNeil is an American former sergeant, professional female bodybuilder, and muscle worship practitioner, who was convicted for the murder of her husband Ray McNeil, a Mr. Olympia competitor.

Sally was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and raised in a violent household. She attended Dieruff High School and enrolled at East Stroudsburg State College, but ran out of money to fund her education and dropped out. She then served in the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton.

Name	Sally McNeil
Sally McNeil Husband	Norfleet Stewart
Children	John and Shantina
Parents	Richard Dale Dempsey
Age	62
Date of Birth	30-Sep-60
Place of Birth	Allentown, Pennsylvania
Height	1.60m
Weight:	68Kg
Net worth	$800 Thousand

Sally McNeil Net Worth & Career

As of 2023, her estimated net worth stands at approximately $800 thousand, a testament to her dedication and perseverance in both her professional endeavors.

Sally McNeil’s journey into bodybuilding began at a young age, igniting a lifelong passion for the sport. Her dedication and hard work paid off, leading to her remarkable success in the late 1980s as she clinched victory in the U.S. Armed Services Physique Championship not once, but twice. Her military service in the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton further solidified her disciplined and determined character, culminating in her attainment of the rank of Sergeant.

However, it was Netflix’s documentary series, “Killer Sally,” that propelled McNeil into the spotlight, shedding light on her life and the circumstances surrounding her imprisonment. Despite the challenges she faced, McNeil’s career highlights include her notable achievements in bodybuilding and her commendable service in the military.

Most Successful Wrestling Match

he most successful wrestling match for Sally McNeil was when she wrestled against men in a backyard wrestling setting and made $300 per match. The search results state:

“To make some extra cash, a wrestling coach discovered Sally and, mesmerized by her physique, decided she would be a great wrestler against men in a backyard. She proceeded to dominate her male opponents, only for them to not fight back. McNeil was making good money doing this, with $300 to travel to different states and put Wall Street guys and trashmen in headlocks for their pleasure.”

Sally McNeil Marriage

At the Marine Corps in Pendleton where she met Ray McNeil. They married in 1987, but Ray was unfaithful and abusive.

What did Sally do to her husband?

On Valentine’s Day in 1995, Sally McNeil, along with her husband Ray, engaged in a final argument amid their troubled marriage. Sally, a former Marine and accomplished bodybuilder, resorted to violence during the altercation. She retrieved a 12-gauge shotgun from a closet and fired a round into Ray’s abdomen. Despite him dropping to his knees, Sally reloaded the weapon and delivered a fatal shot to his face. Shockingly, their two young children, Shantina and John, were present in the house during the horrifying incident.

This violent act was the culmination of a relationship marred by jealousy, infidelity, physical abuse, and ‘roid rage, as reported by the press. Despite their once-prominent status as professional bodybuilders, the McNeils’ relationship ultimately ended in tragedy, leaving behind a shattered family and a dark legacy.

She has a son and daughter from a previous relationship, both of whom appear in the Netflix documentary ‘Killer Sally’.

Legal and Court Battles

Sally McNeil’s legal journey following her 1996 trial for the murder of her husband involved several appeals and complex legal arguments. Despite her defense’s efforts, the jury ultimately found her guilty of second-degree murder, resulting in a life sentence in a California state prison.

McNeil appealed her conviction, asserting that the judge’s decision to exclude her expert’s testimony deprived the jurors of the opportunity to consider whether she acted in self-defense against deadly harm. The exclusion of evidence related to Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS) has been a contentious issue in cases of spousal homicide, with experts like CarolAnn Peterson arguing that juries, when allowed to consider BWS, are more likely to acquit.

However, in Sally’s case, the appeals process was tumultuous. In 2003, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals initially sided with McNeil, overturning her conviction. Yet, the State of California appealed this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately reversed the Ninth Circuit’s ruling. Subsequently, in 2005, McNeil’s conviction was reinstated based on the Supreme Court’s opinion.

Despite arguments that including evidence of BWS may have affected the jury’s verdict, legal experts like Kit Kinports suggest that the outcome may not have been different, given the complexity of the case and prevailing societal attitudes towards women in abusive relationships.