Deputy Charged in Fatal Sonya Massey Shooting Dies in Prison at 32 — Just 6 Months Into 20-Year Sentence
A former sheriff's deputy in prison for killing Sonya Massey has died.
Aug. 24 2026, Published 12:10 p.m. ET
A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy who was sentenced to two decades in prison for killing single mom Sonya Massey after she suffered a mental health crisis has died, RadarOnline.com can report.
Sean Grayson was stripped of his badge and convicted of second-degree murder after an internal investigation found critical lapses in his response.
Sean Grayson Was Diagnosed With Colon Cancer
Sean Grayson had been dealing with colon cancer.
Grayson was six months into his 20-year prison sentence for shooting Massey in the face in her Springfield, Illinois, home on July 6, 2024, after she called 911 to report a possible prowler.
The 32-year-old had been battling colon cancer even before the 2024 shooting. The cancer quickly spread to his liver and lungs, but his defense attorney, Daniel Fultz, told The Post he was not able to reveal if Grayson's death was related to his cancer diagnosis.
In July, a three-member Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted unanimously to deny Grayson’s application for an early medical release.
The deputy – whose checkered past includes two DUI convictions – was hired in May 2023 and dismissed the day he was indicted for Massey's murder.
Sean Grayson Confronts Sonya Massey
Grayson confronted Sonya Massey after receiving a call about a prowler.
As Radar has reported, in the early hours of July 6, Massey, 36, who had mental health problems, called police to her home in Springfield, Illinois, to report a possible intruder. Two Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies responded to the call.
The deputies searched the area for 30 minutes and didn’t find a suspect, so they went inside Massey's home to talk with her. When they arrived, the "visibly distressed" woman greeted the officials with a request: "Don't hurt me."
The authorities asked her to remove a pot of boiling water from the stove, and the situation escalated quickly. According to bodycam footage of the incident, Massey could be heard saying the words "please, God" and asking for a Bible while looking for her ID.
Sean Grayson Shoots Sonya Massey Multiple Times
During their confrontation, Grayson shot Massey multiple times.
She also shouted to Grayson, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."
Before he fired, Massey ducked with her hands up and said, "I’m sorry."
Grayson fired three times, striking her in the face. He also appeared to discourage another deputy from providing medical aid.
County Coroner Jim Allmon concluded the mother-of-two died from a gunshot wound just below her left eye. Her death was officially declared a homicide.
Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell said in a statement at the time, "Sonya Massey lost her life due to an unjustifiable and reckless decision by former Deputy Sean Grayson. Grayson had other options available that he should have used."
Sonya Massey Had Suffered a 'Mental Breakdown'
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Massey's mom said her daughter was suffering mental problems when she was shot and killed.
It was later revealed that Massey's mother called 911 during the encounter and begged dispatchers not to hurt her daughter, telling them she was suffering from a "mental breakdown" the day before.
"When she gets upset, she thinks everybody’s after her, like paranoid-schizophrenic." The worried mother told the dispatcher. “Please don’t send no combative policemen that are prejudiced."
At first, according to the bodycam footage, one of the responding deputies tried to cover up the crime, telling dispatchers the gunshot wounds were "self-inflicted." When asked to confirm, the deputy repeated the word "self-inflicted."
Massey's father, James Wilburn, said at the time, "If it wasn't for the camera footage, (law enforcement) would have lied their way out of this."
