Viswa Vanapalli
Netflix’s ‘Killer Sally’ is a three-part docuseries that delves into the case of Sally McNeil’s killing of her then-husband, Ray McNeil, on Valentine’s Day in 1995. The show chronicles how Sally’s relationship with Ray progressed over time and what ultimately led to the fateful incident. When it happened, John, her son from a previous marriage, was in the house along with his elder sister, Shantina; he thus shares his side of the story in this original.
Who is Sally McNeil’s Son John?
John is Shantina’s brother as well as Sally’s second/last born, and he was around nine years old when Ray was shot to death in 1995. When he was younger, he remembered how everyone would stare at his family because they looked different — the adults were competitive bodybuilders, whereas the kids were half-white, half-black. Yet things seemed to be okay at the beginning, that is, until Ray’s violent side came out and made life difficult for the children. John stated on the show that he physically abused him, especially when his mother was not around.
John even recounted one such incident from when he was in kindergarten. Upon telling Ray that he got into trouble at school, he claimed that his stepfather beat him with a belt. Furthermore, John revealed that anytime he or Shantina did something wrong, Ray would take them to a room and spank one of them while making the other watch. He said, “I remember how tortuous it used to be to have to sit there and watch him abuse my sister and to know that I was next.”
As per the show, Sally had planned to take the kids, leave Ray, and move to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where she was born. However, it never happened because of what transpired on February 14, 1995. John still remembers waking up from his sister’s screams on that night, only to later see Ray bleeding on the floor. The ensuing investigation had the prosecution focus on his mother’s aggressive tendencies, and in the end, a jury found her guilty of second-degree murder.
Sally McNeil’s Son John is Focusing on Raising His Son Today
Because of how everything went down, John was raised by his maternal grandparents, following which he eventually joined the military. He did have some correspondence with Sally growing up but soon stopped talking to her altogether owing to a sense that she didn’t care for her kids, per the show. Though he has since recognized the truth, opened free-flowing communications, and now wishes he could have been there for her more.
John did mention dealing with PTSD on the show due to his five combat tours to Afghanistan, resulting in him getting addicted to drugs. But he has received treatment for the same and thus currently appears to be keeping a low profile while residing in Texas. He further talked about having a loving wife, only to add he regretted not being good to her. So today, he is focused on raising his son and speaks to his mother regularly, in addition to having a good relationship with Shantina and her son.
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