Sean Grayson, former Illinois deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey, dies in prison, lawyer says

Sean Grayson, a former Illinois sheriff's deputy, passed away on Sunday while serving a 20-year prison sentence for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, according to his attorney, Daniel Fultz. The shooting occurred in Springfield, Illinois, on July 6, 2024, and was a subject of controversy regarding police use of force. Grayson, 32 at the time, was convicted of second-degree murder in October 2024.

Body camera footage showed Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, crouching in her kitchen and apologizing moments before she was shot in the face. He was initially sentenced to the maximum 20-year term in January 2025 after being diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to his liver and lungs. In May 2025, Grayson requested medical release due to his terminal illness, but his request was denied by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.