Former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, who was convicted in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, has died while serving his prison sentence. He was 32.
Grayson’s attorney confirmed his death Sunday. He was serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of second-degree murder in Massey’s killing.
Capitol News Illinois reports that Grayson had been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to his liver and lungs.
His cause of death had not been officially confirmed as of Sunday night.
Grayson Had Recently Sought Release From Prison
Grayson’s death comes just over three weeks after the Illinois Prisoner Review Board rejected his request to leave prison on medical grounds.
Grayson applied for medical release under Illinois’ Joe Coleman Act in May, citing his advanced cancer diagnosis.
The Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted 3-0 on July 31 to deny his medical release application.
Massey’s family opposed Grayson’s release, as did Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser, who prosecuted the case.
Grayson had been sentenced to 20 years in prison on January 29, 2026, after a jury convicted him of second-degree murder in October 2025.
The Killing of Sonya Massey
Massey, 36, called 911 on July 6, 2024, to report a possible prowler outside her Springfield-area home.
Grayson and another Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy responded.
Body-camera footage released after the shooting showed the encounter escalate inside Massey’s kitchen after Grayson directed her attention to a pot of hot water on the stove.
Massey said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson drew his weapon and threatened to shoot Massey. Massey apologized and ducked behind a counter before Grayson fired three times, fatally shooting her.
The killing and subsequent prosecution drew national attention and renewed scrutiny of police use of force and the hiring practices that allowed Grayson to work for multiple law enforcement agencies before joining the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
Grayson was fired following the shooting and charged with first-degree murder. In October 2025, a jury convicted him of the lesser charge of second-degree murder.
In January, a judge sentenced Grayson to the maximum 20-year prison term.
A Case That Went Far Beyond One Officer
Massey’s death became part of a broader national conversation about policing and accountability.
The case prompted changes in Illinois, including legislation strengthening background checks and the hiring process for law enforcement officers. It also led to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation and reforms involving the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
Grayson’s death ends his incarceration, but it does not end the larger questions raised by Massey’s killing.
Sonya Massey called police because she believed someone might be outside her home.
She was the person who asked for help.
She was killed by one of the officers who responded.
