A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a black woman after she called 911 for help has died in prison.
Sean Grayson, 32, died around noon on Sunday, just six months into his 20-year sentence for the second-degree murder of Sonya Massey, attorney Daniel Fultz told NBC News.
Grayson had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, defense attorney Mark Wykoff revealed at his sentencing in January.
He was then denied medical release by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board last month, after his attorneys claimed the cancer had progressed to Stage 4 and spread to his liver and lungs.
An Illinois Department of Corrections medical professional concluded that Grayson was likely to die within 18 months, according to medical-release files obtained by Capitol News Illinois.
But Grayson did not select terminal illness as the reason for his request, instead applying under a provision covering prisoners expected to become medically incapacitated within six months.
The former sheriff’s deputy had been convicted of second-degree murder in October and was handed the maximum 20-year sentence in January for the July 2024 killing.
‘Sonya Massey’s death was unjustifiable and she should be alive today,’ Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, attorneys representing Massey’s family, said in a statement on Sunday.
‘Sean Grayson’s death in custody from cancer does nothing to bring Sonya back,’ they noted.
Sean Grayson, 32, died around noon on Sunday, just six months into his 20-year sentence for the second degree murder of Sonya Massey
Sonya Massey, 36, was shot inside her Springfield, Illinois, home after calling 911 to report a possible prowler in 2024
‘We wish his family prayers of peace, as we do for all who grieve a loved one,’ the lawyers continued.
‘Sonya’s family know that pain all to well and will grieve her loss the rest of their days.’
Massey had called 911 in the early hours of July 6, 2024, because she believed a prowler was lurking outside her home.
Grayson and another Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy searched the property but found no intruder before entering the home to question her.
He then directed Massey to remove a pot of boiling water from the stove, telling her: ‘We don’t need a fire alarm here.’
As the other deputy stepped away from the pot, Massey told the officers: ‘I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.’
Grayson responded: ‘I’ll f***ing shoot you right in the f***ing face,’ and drew his gun.
Massey apologized and dropped to the floor, but Grayson moved toward her and fired three times.
One bullet struck Massey in the head and killed her.
Grayson later said he took the rebuke as a threat that she was about to toss the boiling water at him.
Massey had called 911 in the early hours of July 6, 2024, because she believed a prowler was lurking outside her home
Body-camera footage showed Grayson pointing his gun at Massey moments before shooting her in the face
Grayson did not activate his body camera until after he fired, although the other deputy’s camera captured the shooting, according to Capitol News Illinois.
He apologized at sentencing but maintained in his medical-release application that Massey had attacked him.
Grayson filed his request on May 20 under Illinois’ Joe Coleman Act, which allows prisoners with terminal illnesses or severe medical incapacity to seek compassionate release.
The 2022 law was named after Joe Coleman, an 82-year-old decorated Army veteran who died of prostate cancer in prison.
As the review board considered the application, Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser urged the panel to keep Grayson behind bars, noting that he already had cancer when he killed Massey.
‘Critically, Grayson had cancer when he committed this murder and his medical condition was explicitly considered at sentencing,’ Milhiser wrote.
‘To release Grayson under these circumstances would be a miscarriage of justice and an insult to Sonya Massey’s memory and family.’
Massey was a single mother of two who called 911 because she feared a prowler was outside her Illinois home
The prosecutor also argued that Grayson remained a danger despite his deteriorating health.
‘His temper and willingness to escalate minor misunderstandings into fatal encounters shows that he poses a danger to any person he comes into contact with,’ Milhiser wrote.
Massey’s relatives also testified against his release and argued that his application showed he continued to lack remorse, Capitol News Illinois reported.
‘He’s a killer,’ her cousin Sontae Massey previously told the outlet.
‘I apologize that he must suffer, but he has to pay for what he did.’
Massey’s killing had triggered nationwide protests, a US Department of Justice review and renewed scrutiny of police hiring practices.
Sangamon County later agreed to pay her family $10 million to settle a wrongful-death claim.
