Former deputy convicted in Sonya Massey killing dies in prison
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County sheriff's deputy convicted in the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey, died Aug. 23, according to one of his attorneys.
Daniel Fultz, a Springfield lawyer who represented Grayson, confirmed the death. A message seeking comment from the Illinois Department of Corrections was not immediately returned to The State Journal-Register, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Grayson's death came just over three weeks after he appeared before the Illinois Prisoner Review Board in a bid for early release. The board denied the request in a 3-0 vote. Panel members did not comment after hearing testimony and voting. Grayson, who was being held out of state, had sought release under a 2022 Illinois law that allows prisoners with terminal illnesses or advanced medical conditions to apply for freedom.
He had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, and later with Stage 4 rectal cancer that spread to his liver and lungs.
Grayson, who was White, was serving a 20-year sentence after a Peoria County jury convicted him in October of second-degree murder. The nine-woman, three-man jury had been instructed on the lesser charge after hearing first-degree murder allegations. Many supporters of Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman and mother of two, did not believe the conviction was severe enough. Judge Ryan Cadagin, who oversaw the trial, imposed the maximum sentence in January.
Before sentencing, Grayson asked Massey's family for forgiveness and said he accepted their anger.
Massey was fatally shot on July 6, 2024, inside her home in Springfield's Cabbage Patch neighborhood. She had called 911 to report a possible intruder. Body-worn camera footage from Grayson's partner, Dawson Farley, captured the shooting and drew international attention to the case. Grayson did not turn on his own body camera until after the shooting.
The footage shows Grayson telling Massey to take a pot of hot water off the stove. Massey, holding the pot, said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson responded, “You better not,” and warned he would shoot her. He then drew his weapon and ordered her to drop the pot.
“OK, I'm sorry,” Massey replied before ducking behind her kitchen counter. Grayson approached and fired three times, striking her once in the face. She was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
In his official report, Grayson wrote that he interpreted Massey's remark as a threat: “I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me.”
Within weeks, Grayson was fired and arrested. Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell retired after pressure from Gov. JB Pritzker to resign. The sheriff's office and county later agreed to update policies and training as part of a federal review by the U.S. Department of Justice, including steps aimed at improving interactions with people in mental health crises.
The case also reignited questions about how Grayson was hired. He had worked for six different law enforcement agencies in four years before joining the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office in May 2023. His record included two DUI convictions, an Army discharge for “serious misconduct,” and complaints from members of the public and other officers. That history was kept out of the murder trial.
In May, Cadagin denied a motion to reconsider Grayson's sentence, sending the case to the Fourth District Appellate Court. Grayson had separate counsel for the appeal.
Massey's death has become a flashpoint in the national conversation about race, policing and mental health. The body-camera video and the circumstances surrounding the shooting renewed calls for law enforcement changes, while the disciplinary record of the officer involved raised broader questions about hiring practices in Illinois and beyond.
Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY