Former Sheriff’s Deputy Dies After Conviction for Murder

Sean Grayson, a former deputy from Sangamon County, passed away on Sunday. He had been convicted of killing Sonya Massey in 2024. Grayson’s attorney, Daniel L. Fultz, confirmed his death, but the exact cause remains uncertain. Grayson was undergoing treatment for Stage 4 colon cancer.

Grayson, 32, was found guilty in October last year for the second-degree murder of Sonya Massey. He was serving a 20-year prison sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections. After this, he would have faced two years of mandatory supervised release.

Last month, Grayson’s request for medical release was denied by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board despite his severe cancer diagnosis. CBS News Chicago has contacted the Department of Corrections for further information but awaits a response.

Details of the Sonya Massey Shooting

In July 2024, Sonya Massey, aged 36, called the police, suspecting a prowler outside her home. Grayson and another officer responded and interacted with Massey. According to Grayson, she behaved erratically, mentioning rebuking him “in the name of Jesus” while approaching a pot of water on her stove.

Bodycam footage from Grayson’s partner documented the encounter. In the video, Grayson is heard yelling at Massey to not take action with the pot, threatening to shoot her. He ordered her to “drop the pot,” which led to Massey apologizing and ducking. It was then that Grayson shot her. Prosecutors revealed three shots were fired.

During the trial, Dawson Farley, Grayson’s former partner, testified. He stated he did not feel threatened by Massey during the incident. Instead, he feared Grayson’s actions. Farley was puzzled by Massey’s comment but didn’t interpret it as a threat. He only drew his weapon because Grayson had done so first.