Jacquelin Ray was too beautiful for ordinary life. Tall, pretty, and charismatic, it was only a matter of time before the doors of modeling and acting opened up for her. She also got married to one of Hollywood’s royalty; Tom Sellek.
That was before she lost it all, and went to prison for 18 years!
Here’s what happened…
Jacquelin Ray’s Profile at a Glance
Here’s everything we know about the ex-model, actress, and ex-wife of Tom Sellek: Jacqueline Ray.
| Name | Jacqueline Mary Ray |
| Date of Birth | January 26, 1945 |
| Age (in 2024) | 79 years old |
| Place of Birth | Burbank, California, US |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5’7” |
| Weight | 121 lb |
| Body measurements | 36-24-26 in |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye color | Blue |
| Marital Status | Divorced, three times |
| Spouses | Tom Shepard, Tom Selleck, Clarence Barry Witmer |
| Children | Kevin Selleck and Umeko Ray |
| Known for | Model, actress, Tom Selleck’s ex-wife, convicted and jailed celebrity |
| Net worth | $5 million |
Who Is Jacqueline Ray ？
Jacquelin Ray is a model-turned-actress who rose to stardom in the 80s. She had all the right attributes that promised her fame, success, and happiness. When she married Tom Selleck, many thought that she had it all. But the next events shocked all of these observers!
Ray tied the knot three times and divorced as many times. In her later years, she seemed to lose control of her life. Her destabilized domestic life ended up with her hiring a hitman to eliminate her son-in-law. The debacle landed her in prison for 18 years!
Despite the tragic events, Jacqueline Ray remains a celebrity and a rich lady. At 79, she’s worth $5 million. That’s probably not much in Hollywood terms, but it’s a lot more than many faded artists could count.
Early Life and Career
Jacqueline Ray was born on January 26, 1945. She grew up in Burbank, California, which gave her easy access to Hollywood glam. She started her modeling career in the early 60s, before her twentieth birthday.
Ray’s beauty, and audacity, led her to the runways of the most famous designers. She mastered the arts of modeling and her pretty face adorned numerous magazine covers. Her sights were often set on the big screen though, and before long, she managed to land a big role in a movie.
Rising to Stardom
In 1967, Jacqueline Ray played her very first role in the movie “In Like Flint”. The audience and critics received her performance with much enthusiasm. This encouraged the big production companies to offer her bigger roles.
Not every model can prove herself in the movie business. As a matter of fact, many beautiful models lost both careers when they left the runways and rushed to the cinema studios. The 70s and 80s were “colorful” years, and establishing a career at that time took real courage and bushels of talent.
Within a decade, Jacqueline Ray had a solid presence in the movie business. She was good, but she wasn’t as iconic as Elizabeth Taylor or as memorable as Ava Gardner. Her biggest roles were in movies like “The Killings at Outpost Zeta” and “The Gnome-Mobile”
She also appeared in major TV shows such as “Magnum, P.I.”, “Marcus Welby”, and “Dallas”. It was during that time that she met Tom Sellek, and later on married him.
The Downward Spiral
Tom Sellek was Ray’s second hunsband. She had a son from her first marriage, Kevin, and Tom was committed enough to the family that he gave him his name. It’s worth noting that Kevin Sellek followed his stepfather’s footsteps and pursued a career in acting. Tom Selleck was also instrumental in his stepson’s future success.
Jacqueline Ray and Tom Sellek were married for 11 years. After that, they went their separate ways. Some speculate that she got jealous when Tom’s career boomed while hers started fading. Others claim that a trip to Hawaii took Tom out of town and out of the marriage.
The couple were never too vocal about their personal lives, and they both moved on. Jacqueline married for the third time and had a daughter with her new husband, Umeko Ray. The marriage didn’t last long, and like the two preceding times, ended in divorce.
Unfortunately, the daughter’s marriage went sour, and Jacqueline saw her daughter and grandchildren badly abused.
Committing a Crime, In Reality
It seems that Jacqueline was much too affected by all the drama she performed on the big screen, that she eventually took tragedy to the real world.
Having had enough of her son-in-law’s transgression and violence, Jacquelin decided to hire a hitman to take out the real-life villain. In her mind, she thought she could get away with murder. She called her daughter’s husband into the house and told the criminal to finish him off.
The hitman did what he was told, shot the son-in-law, and disposed of the body in a ditch. The police found out, and Jacquelin was taken in for investigation and trial.
During the court hearings, various people pleaded with the judge and jury to be more lenient with Jacqueline. The actress herself explained that her daughter’s husband was a real threat to his wife and children. This didn’t sway the judge though, and in 2014, Ray was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Where Is Jacqueline Ray?
Jacqueline Ray, Tom Sellek’s ex-wife, is still in prison, as her 18-year sentence should end in 2032. The actress is currently 79 years old, which means that at the time of her release, she should be 89 years old.
Would anyone still remember Jacqueline Ray after eight more years of being away? Probably not, but there’s a lot to learn from her life story. It’s quite a tragic ending to a life that started out so well.
