John Lowden was a former sergeant first class and Special Forces in the United States Army. He served five tours in Afghanistan before retiring due to severe PTSD. Lowden was the son of bodybuilder and convicted murderer, Sally McNeil. McNeil was convicted of second degree murder of her husband, Ray McNeil. The trial was a media spectical as McNeil claimed the shooting was in self-defense.

Lowden appeared in the 2022 Netflix documentary mini-series, Killer Sally. The series explored their lives before and outside the trial. Lowden spoke for the first time about his step-father, claiming that Ray had abused him, his sister, and their mother.

On March 4, 2024, Lowden was fatally shot in Augusta, Georgia. He had been homeless at the time and experiencing mental effects from PTSD. The suspect, Robert Ward, was arrested three days later aand charged with murder. He had three children.