Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy who killed Sonya Massey in her home dies aged 32

Sean Grayson, a former deputy sheriff convicted of fatally shooting Sonya Massey in her Springfield, Illinois home, died at the age of 32, his attorney revealed on Sunday. Grayson was serving a 20-year sentence for second-degree murder when he passed away. In July of 2024, Grayson shot the 36-year-old Black woman after she reported a possible prowler to 911.

The shooting, captured on body-worn camera footage, showed Grayson and another deputy entering the home after receiving the call. Massey, who was cooking at the time, picked up a pot of boiling water and Grayson believed she was going to throw it at him. He then pointed his gun at her, fired three shots, and struck her in the face.

Grayson had been diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2023, which had spread to his liver and lungs, his legal team disclosed during his sentencing in January.