NEED TO KNOW
After years of alleged abuse, Sally McNeil shot her husband, Ray McNeil, dead in 1995
The bodybuilder and her two children, Shantina and John, participated in a 2022 Netflix docuseries that examined Sally’s relationship, the shooting and the legal proceedings that followed
In the docuseries, John claimed that he and his sister not only witnessed Ray allegedly abuse their mom, but were reportedly victims themselves
Sally McNeil‘s two children not only witnessed the alleged abuse their mother suffered at the hands of her husband, Ray McNeil, but were reportedly also victims themselves.
The bodybuilder welcomed daughter Shantina and son John in 1983 and 1985, respectively, with her first husband, Anthony “Tony” Lowden. The pair finalized their divorce in May 1987, and Sally eventually married fellow Marine and bodybuilder, Ray, who raised Shantina and John as stepchildren.
Killer Sally, which was released on Netflix in 2022, explores Sally’s allegedly abusive marriage to Ray that ultimately ended when she shot and killed him on Valentine’s Day in 1995.
The docuseries includes archived footage from the police interrogation room during the night Ray was killed. In it, John — who was in fourth grade at the time of the incident — told his mom, “Remember that police officer [said] if you thought that he was gonna kill you, that was self-defense, because of the marks on you. Just tell them that.”
Sally was eventually arrested for murder and went on to serve 24 years in prison before being granted parole in May 2020.
So, where are Sally McNeil’s children today? Here’s everything to know about Shantina and John Lowden’s lives after their mom was arrested for killing their stepfather.Shantina and John were welcomed during Sally’s first marriage, but Ray became their stepfather
Shantina shared in the Netflix docuseries that her biological father wasn’t around after he and Sally got divorced. After her mom found love with Ray, she and her brother began calling him “Dad,” Shantina said.
“My mom was beyond in love with my stepdad Ray. Totally wholeheartedly, just nose wide open,” Shantina said in Killer Sally. “I loved Ray. He was very charismatic.”
Shantina also shared that as a family of four, they had “a lot of good times” and were “goofy” together.
The siblings shared in Killer Sally that they were heavily involved in the bodybuilding community, from cheering on their parents at competitions to even once joining their stepfather onstage after a victory.They witnessed Ray’s alleged abuse toward their mom
Courtesy of Netflix
Sally McNeil.
Sally and Ray’s relationship was tumultuous from the start. As Sally alleged in the Netflix docuseries, Ray abused her throughout their marriage — sometimes in front of Shantina and John.
She claimed in Killer Sally that Ray once broke her nose in front of her children. Sally filed a report with her commanding officer, but claimed that Ray beat her until she promised to drop the charges.
Meanwhile, Shantina shared in the docuseries that between 8 and 12 years old, she “knew that something was not right” within their household and how they were living, claiming her stepfather was “very physically abusive” to her mother.Shantina and John were also allegedly victims of Ray’s abuse
Courtesy of Netflix
Ray McNeil.
In Killer Sally, John alleged that his relationship with Ray was “a very violent one.”
“He used to abuse and beat me a lot, especially when my mother was gone,” he said.
John recalled that on the first day he came home from kindergarten, Ray allegedly spanked him with a belt for getting in trouble for talking at school that day.
“Whenever my sister and I both did something wrong, Ray would bring both of us into the room and he would spank one of us and make the other one watch,” he said. “I remember how torturous it used to be for me as a kid to have to sit there and watch him abuse the crap out of my sister and to know that I was next.”
John continued, “I really hated him. He was literally like the devil to me.”Shantina was home during Ray and Sally’s fight on Valentine’s Day that led to her stepfather’s death
Courtesy of Netflix
Sally McNeil.
Sally killed Ray with a shotgun on Valentine’s Day in 1995. Earlier in the night, the pair had gotten into a fight, with Sally saying in the docuseries that Ray hit her and then choked her. (Sally later told police she believed Ray had a girlfriend, as shown in archival footage in Killer Sally.)
In the docuseries, Shantina said that she had retreated to her room after Ray got home that night, and could hear her mom gasping for air during their fight.
Sally became afraid that she wouldn’t “make it through” the night and ultimately retrieved a shotgun from her bedroom and loaded it in the hallway. She claimed she told Ray to get out, but when he declined, she shot him twice, she said in Killer Sally.
“I just shot my husband because he just beat me up,” Sally can be heard saying in a 911 call played in the docuseries.
Ray was still breathing when Sally called 911, but died hours after being airlifted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif.Where are Sally McNeil’s children now?
Courtesy of Netflix (2)
John Jr. Lowden ; Shantina Lowden.
In March 1996, Sally was convicted of second-degree murder and later received a sentence of 19 years to life. After her arrest, Shantina and John were sent to live with Sally’s parents in Allentown, Pa., and remained there after their mom’s sentencing.
After getting out of prison, Sally reconnected with both of her children. In fact, John walked Sally down the aisle at her wedding to Norfleet Stewart, per footage shown in Killer Sally.
Shantina joined the U.S. Army and started a family. WFMZ reported that she surprised her then-6-year-old son at his elementary school when she returned home from Afghanistan in October 2014.
John went on to complete coursework at Cal State and Bakersfield University before joining the U.S. military. He dedicated 11 years of service to the U.S. Army as a Special Forces weapons sergeant and was deployed to Afghanistan five times before being medically discharged in 2016.
He was formerly married to Lynette Lapin and was a father to three children: Arianna Lowden, Caleb Garcia and Jocelyn Garcia.
John died on Feb. 28, 2024, per his obituary. According to WJBF, he was found dead with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. In March 2024, Robert Ward was arrested in connection with John’s murder.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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