Who are former professional bodybuilder Sally McNeil's kids?

Former professional bodybuilder Sally McNeil's story has found a resurgence in curiosity after Netflix released a new crime docu-series, 'Killer Sally'.

The docu-series details the 1995 Valentine's Day incident where she shot her husband and fellow bodybuilder Ray McNeil twice. Her two children, John and Shantina, were present in the house at the time.

Sally McNeil called the police immediately after the incident, claiming that it was an act of self-defense and that Ray was abusive. Despite her allegations against Ray, she was convicted of murder and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. After 25 years in a correctional facility, she was released in 2020.

The three-part Netflix docu-series features McNeil and her two children John and Shantina talking about the incident. McNeil had John from a previous marriage and had Shantina with Ray.

Both John and Shantina have corroborated Sally McNeil's claim that Ray was violent, even saying that on one occasion Ray broke McNeil's nose. John also said that Ray often beat him up and sometimes turned his anger on Shantina.

Many have wondered after watching the Netflix original what happened to Sally's children after her conviction and subsequent imprisonment. After McNeil was sent to prison, her children were initially taken under care but were then raised by their maternal grandmother. Both John and Shantina went on to join the US military.

Sally McNeil and son, John (Image via Vizaca)

John served five combat tours in Afghanistan. He later dealt with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and drug addiction for which he underwent treatment. He was previously married and now lives in Texas.

Sally McNeil's daughter, Shantina (Image via Women's Health Mag)

Shantina has a degree in electrical and electronic engineering. She worked for the US Army for 16 years and completed two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. After leaving the army, she joined an aerospace and defense technology company. She presently works for the Defense Logistics Agency as an IT network administrator. She currently lives in Grovetown, Georgia and has a son.

Like her brother, she also suffered from PTSD, which according to her happened due to the combat tours and an abusive relationship.

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Is Sally McNeil close with her children?

American bodybuilder Sally McNeil was imprisoned for murdering her husband Ray McNeil in 1995 despite her allegations that he was abusive and that she had shot him in an act of self-defense.

Both her children John and Shantina were raised by her mother, who lived 3000 miles away from where she was imprisoned. This meant that the children saw McNeil only about once a year.

While the two of them (John and Shantina) were very close to each other, they grew up with a strained relationship with their mother. But now they are rebuilding it.

McNeil now reportedly lives in Hephzibah, Georgia and has remarried. She met her husband, Norfleet Stewart, at a support group. Both Sally's children John and Shantina attended her wedding. They now live much closer to their mother than they did while growing up and it is believed that they now share a stronger bond.