An Illinois jury convicted former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson of 2nd-degree murder in the 2024 fatal shooting of Sonya Massey. She was 36.
Massey called police to report a prowler in her house just before 1 a.m. on July 6, 2024. Grayson and another deputy responded to the 911 call.
The deputies knocked on the front door of Massey’s house for three minutes. She opened the door and immediately said, “Don’t hurt me.”
During her interaction with the deputies, Massey walked into the kitchen to take a pot of boiling water off the stove.
The body cam video shows Grayson joking with Massey about the pot on the stove. “We don’t need a fire while we’re here,” he said.
In the background is the sound of Massey pouring water into the kitchen sink.
“Where are you going?” Massey asked the other deputy. “Away from your hot steaming water,” he responded.
“Aww, I forgive you in the name of Jesus,” Massey told him. “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” she said to Grayson.
“You’d better f–ing not!” Grayson shouted. “I’ll f–ing shoot you in your f–ing face!”
Grayson drew his service weapon and pointed it at Massey. “Drop the f***ing pot!” he yelled at her.
Massey ducked down behind the kitchen counter while holding oven mitts in each hand. “Okay. I’m sorry,” she said.
Grayson ordered her again to drop the pot. But the footage shows she did not have a pot in her hands.
As she slowly stood up, Grayson shot Massey multiple times, including a shot to the head. She died at the scene.
Videos circulating online have been altered to show Massey throwing an empty pot at Grayson.
Grayson was terminated from the sheriff’s office and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
Grayson pleaded not guilty to all three counts. He said he shot Massey in self-defense.
The defense attorney stated that when Massey said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Grayson believed it was a threat.
The other deputy said on the stand that he did not see Massey as a threat before Grayson shot her.
Grayson’s employment history shows he was fired or resigned from 4 other police departments.
Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, attorneys for Massey’s family, said in a statement Wednesday that the “verdict is still a measure of justice for Sonya Massey.” They added, “Accountability has begun, and we now hope the court will impose a meaningful sentence that reflects the severity of these crimes and the life that was lost.”
Grayson faces up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced.
