Former Illinois Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson Died While Serving a 20-Year Prison Sentence for the Fatal Shooting of Sonya Massey
Sean Grayson died on Sunday while serving a 20-year prison sentence for the second-degree murder of Sonya Massey. Grayson, 32, was convicted for the fatal shooting of Massey, a 36-year-old woman who reported a possible prowler outside her home in Springfield, Illinois. Body camera video showed Massey crouching in her kitchen and apologizing just before Grayson fired three shots at her face. Grayson had been diagnosed with colon cancer before the incident, and while he sought medical release due to the disease, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board denied his request last month. During the shooting, Grayson argued he feared Massey would throw a hot pot of water at him. The other deputy present, Dawson Farley, testified that he did not consider Massey a threat. The incident led to the passage of the Sonya Massey Act, which requires law enforcement agencies to review previous employment records more closely. The Justice Department also reached an agreement with Sangamon County to improve policing and emergency response training.