Sean Grayson, Convicted in Sonya Massey Shooting, Dies in Prison

Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy convicted of second-degree murder in the July 2024 shooting death of Sonya Massey, died on August 23, 2026, while six months into his 20-year sentence, according to his attorney Daniel L. Fultz. Grayson was 32 years old at the time of his death. He had been convicted in October 2025 and sentenced to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections followed by two years of mandatory supervised release. In July 2026, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board rejected his request for medical release. Grayson had been battling colon cancer. According to defense attorney Mark Wykoff, Grayson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, and CBS News reports he was undergoing treatment for Stage 4 colon cancer while imprisoned. It is unclear whether cancer caused his death. On a July 2024 evening, Sonya Massey, 36, called police for help regarding a possible prowler outside her home. Grayson, along with another officer, responded. According to CBS News reporting, while inside the home, Massey began acting erratically and said she rebuked Grayson "in the name of Jesus" while walking toward a pot of water on her stove. When Grayson looked confused, Massey repeated the sentence. Bodycam footage from Grayson's partner captured the moment he shot Massey, though Grayson's own body camera was not activated for most of the call, only turning on shortly after he pulled his weapon. In the video, according to CBS News, Grayson said: "You'd better f***ing not. I swear to God, I'll f***ing shoot you right in your f***ing face." He then raised his gun and yelled at Massey to "drop the f***ing pot." Massey apologized and ducked for cover, at which point Grayson fired three shots, striking her fatally. According to prosecutors reported by NBC News, Grayson declined to offer medical care after the shooting. During trial, Grayson's former partner, Dawson Farley, testified that he was not afraid of Massey during the call but instead feared Grayson. Farley told the jury that while he was confused after Massey said "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus," he never perceived that as a threat. Farley added he only unholstered his gun because Grayson did.