A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy convicted in the fatal shooting of a Black woman who had called 911 for help has died in prison.
Sean Grayson, 32, died around noon on Sunday, attorney Daniel Fultz told NBC News. His death came just six months after he began serving a 20-year sentence for the second-degree murder of Sonya Massey.
Grayson had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, defense attorney Mark Wykoff disclosed during his January sentencing hearing.
Last month, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board denied his bid for medical release after his lawyers said the disease had advanced to Stage 4 and spread to his liver and lungs.
A medical professional with the Illinois Department of Corrections determined that Grayson was likely to die within 18 months, according to medical-release files obtained by Capitol News Illinois.
However, Grayson did not cite terminal illness as the basis for his application. Instead, he sought release under a separate provision for prisoners expected to become medically incapacitated within six months.
The former deputy was convicted of second-degree murder in October and received the maximum 20-year prison sentence in January for Massey’s July 2024 killing.
‘Sonya Massey’s death was unjustifiable and she should be alive today,’ Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, attorneys representing Massey’s family, said in a statement on Sunday.
‘Sean Grayson’s death in custody from cancer does nothing to bring Sonya back,’ they noted.
Sean Grayson, 32, died around noon on Sunday, just six months into his 20-year sentence for the second degree murder of Sonya Massey
Sonya Massey, 36, was shot inside her Springfield, Illinois, home after calling 911 to report a possible prowler in 2024
‘We wish his family prayers of peace, as we do for all who grieve a loved one,’ the lawyers continued.
‘Sonya’s family know that pain all to well and will grieve her loss the rest of their days.’
Massey had called 911 in the early hours of July 6, 2024, because she believed a prowler was lurking outside her home.
Grayson and another Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy searched the property but found no intruder before entering the home to question her.
He then directed Massey to remove a pot of boiling water from the stove, telling her: ‘We don’t need a fire alarm here.’
As the other deputy stepped away from the pot, Massey told the officers: ‘I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.’
Grayson responded: ‘I’ll fing shoot you right in the fing face,’ and drew his gun.
RELATED: Nevada Hospital Patients Evacuated as Devastating Fire Breaks Out
Massey apologized and dropped to the floor, but Grayson moved toward her and fired three times.
Body-camera footage showed Grayson pointing his gun at Massey moments before shooting her in the face
One bullet struck Massey in the head and killed her.
Grayson did not activate his body camera until after he fired, although the other deputy’s camera captured the shooting, according to Capitol News Illinois.
He apologized at sentencing but maintained in his medical-release application that Massey had attacked him.
Grayson filed his request on May 20 under Illinois’ Joe Coleman Act, which allows prisoners with terminal illnesses or severe medical incapacity to seek compassionate release.
The 2022 law was named after Joe Coleman, an 82-year-old decorated Army veteran who died of prostate cancer in prison.
As the review board considered the application last month, Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser urged the panel to keep Grayson behind bars, noting that he already had cancer when he killed Massey.
‘Critically, Grayson had cancer when he committed this murder and his medical condition was explicitly considered at sentencing,’ Milhiser wrote.
‘To release Grayson under these circumstances would be a miscarriage of justice and an insult to Sonya Massey’s memory and family.’
Massey was a single mother of two who called 911 because she feared a prowler was outside her Illinois home
The prosecutor also argued that Grayson remained a danger despite his deteriorating health.
‘His temper and willingness to escalate minor misunderstandings into fatal encounters shows that he poses a danger to any person he comes into contact with,’ Milhiser wrote.
Massey’s relatives also testified against his release and argued that his application showed he continued to lack remorse, Capitol News Illinois reported.
‘He’s a killer,’ her cousin Sontae Massey previously told the outlet.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
