Troubling Details Emerge About Deputy Charged in Deadly Sonya Massey Shooting: 'Should Have Never Had a Badge'
New details have emerged regarding the employment history of Sean Grayson, the deputy charged with the shooting of Sonya Massey.
July 25 2024, Published 12:53 p.m. ET
New information regarding the employment records of the former county sheriff's deputy charged in connection with the death of Sonya Massey has surfaced, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Deputy Sean Grayson's work history included short stints as a part-time officer at three small police departments and a full-time job at a fourth department. He also was employed full time at two sheriff’s offices, all in central Illinois, according to documents obtained by WAND-TV.
A former Air Force prosecutor argued that Grayson’s military record should have been a “red flag” for police departments.
Grayson first served in the U.S. Army as a mechanic for two years. However, he was discharged in 2016 for a serious offense of misconduct.
Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell said in a statement that his office “understood that the serious misconduct referenced in these documents was a DUI. We were aware of the DUI at the time of hire.”
Moments after shots were fired, the cops then asked about Massey's call history regarding mental health issues.
According to the state’s law enforcement training and standards board (ILETSB), Grayson worked at six different departments over a four-year span. He worked in part-time roles with the Pawnee, Kincaid and Virden departments.
Documents state he left those previous departments because he was searching for full-time employment.
Sean Grayson, 30, was discharged from the U.S. Army for 'Misconduct (Serious Offense)' years before the Massey shooting.
In May 2023, he was hired full-time with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. Before that, he worked as a full-time officer for the Auburn Police Department and Logan County Sheriff’s Office, documents show.
Grayson admitted to being arrested previously for a DUI, according to employment documents. Court records additionally show he was arrested on separate incidents for a DUI, both in 2015 and 2016.
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Ben Crump and members of the Massey family spoke at a press conference on Tuesday.
In a statement to WAND-TV, Sheriff Campbell said, "The Sheriff's office had a copy of Deputy Grayson's Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty which states that Grayson was given a general honorable discharge from the military. We also had a letter from Grayson's commanding officer attached with our response."
In September 2022, Grayson was disciplined for an incident while working for the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. Documents state Grayson was driving 110 MPH after his superior had called off a chase for a suspect. Grayson eventually hit a deer and damaged his police cruiser.
After the incident, Chief Deputy Nathan Miller said in his report that Grayson needed to attend “high-stress decision making” classes, among other additional training.
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In the early hours of July 6, Massey called police – including Grayson – to her home in Springfield, Illinois, 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.
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On July 17, a Sangamon County grand jury indicted Grayson on three counts of first-degree murder and a count each of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. His job with Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office was terminated after the indictments.
Grayson has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“This man (Grayson) should have never had a badge. And he should have never had a gun. He should have never been given the opportunity to kill my child," Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said at a July 23 press conference.
Wilburn added, “I want to tell y’all the sheriff here is an embarrassment.”
The grieving father has called for Sheriff Campbell to resign.