By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy, Sean Grayson, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, court officials said.
• Massey, 36, was shot in her Springfield home on July 6, 2024, after calling 911 to report a possible prowler.
• Grayson was convicted of second-degree murder in October 2025 and has been jailed since his arrest.
• The sentence is the maximum allowed for the conviction; Grayson apologized to Massey’s family at the hearing.
SPRINGFIELD, IL — A former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, who had called 911 to report a possible prowler at her home in July 2024, court records show.
AP
Sean Grayson, 31, was convicted in October 2025 of second-degree murder in connection with Massey’s death and has been incarcerated since being charged. Prosecutors said the sentence is the maximum permitted under Illinois law for the conviction.
The shooting occurred inside Massey’s Springfield residence after body-worn camera footage showed an interaction between Grayson and Massey escalated during the response to her 911 call. Massey, who was 36 at the time, was struck and killed.
Grayson apologized to Massey’s family at the sentencing hearing, saying he wished he could undo the events of that night. His attorney had sought a reduced sentence based on Grayson’s health, which included a serious medical condition, but the judge imposed the statutory maximum.
The case drew attention because of the circumstances of the shooting and the conviction of a former law enforcement officer on a murder charge. Grayson’s former partner was not charged in the case.