Sonya Massey Latest: Autopsy Results Prove ‘Excessive Use of Force’ Led to Mother-of-Two's ‘Unnecessary' Death, Attorney Says
Sonya Massey (left) called 911 to report a possible intruder, but the incident ended with her being fatally shot by Deputy Sean Grayson (right).
July 26 2024, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
Authorities in Illinois have released the autopsy report for Sonya Massey, confirming the mother-of-two died from a gunshot wound to the head after she was allegedly shot by a sheriff’s deputy earlier this month, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to the just-released report from the Sangamon County Coroner’s office, the bullet fired by Deputy Sean Grayson entered Massey’s lower eyelid and exited the back of her upper neck, as Front Page Detectives reported.
Audio from the scanner shows a deputy claim the gunshot wounds were 'self-inflicted' in the Sonya Massey killing.
Authorities said the bullet doesn’t appear to have hit any part of Massey’s brain. The coroner determined the victim's cerebral hemispheres, brainstem and cerebellum were “unremarkable” and she had no blood in her cerebral ventricles.
The bullet did cause a skull fracture, perforated her carotid artery and caused bleeding in her brain, officials said. She also suffered minor blunt force injuries to her right leg.
The bodycam footage shows Grayson firing three shots at Massey during the altercation.
As bodycam footage showed, Massey called police to her home in Springfield on July 6, to report a possible intruder. Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputies searched the area but were unable to find a suspect, so they spoke with 36-year-old Massey inside her home. After the officers asked her to remove a pot of boiling water from her stovetop, the situation escalated and ended with Grayson shooting Massey three times, killing her, as RadarOnline.com previously reported.
After the autopsy results were released on July 26, Massey’s family and their attorney, Ben Crump, held a press conference. Family spoke about how they are still struggling mentally and emotionally almost three weeks after Massey's death.
Ben Crump said the autopsy results confirm what they all were thinking – Massey was shot while on the ground.
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"I haven't been able to sleep for real. The only time I really feel comfortable sleeping is when I'm just on the floor. I can't even sleep in my bed," said her son, Malachi Hill-Massey. "I really don't have words. Like I've been said, I don't have words for real."
As for her daughter, Massey’s uncle said she’s been “having nightmares to the point where we have to check the room.”
Moments after shots were fired, the cops then asked about Massey's call history regarding mental health issues.
Crump claimed the autopsy shows Grayson shot Massey while she was on the ground.
"The autopsy confirms what everyone already knew from the video: that this was just a senseless, unnecessary, excessive use of force," Crump said. "Certainly not justified."
The family has been waiting for the autopsy results to come back, as they wanted to determine if Massey could have survived if medical aid had been administered to her more quickly
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Authorities confirmed Grayson discouraged another deputy at the scene from getting his medical kit and administering first aid to Massey after she was shot. Because she was struck by a bullet in the head, Grayson said: “There’s nothing we can do."
Grayson was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct in Massey’s death.
While he pleaded not guilty to all the charges, he was fired by the sheriff’s office after the shooting and he is being held in the Sangamon County Jail while he awaits trial.