Former Illinois Deputy Sentenced to 20 Years for Sonya Massey Shooting
Sean Grayson received the maximum 20-year sentence for second-degree murder after fatally shooting Sonya Massey, who called 911 fearing a prowler, sparking reforms in law enforcement.
- On Thursday, former Sangamon County deputy Sean Grayson was sentenced to 20 years for killing Sonya Massey, with Judge Ryan Cadigan imposing the maximum term allowed for second-degree murder.
- Responding deputies entered Massey's Springfield home on July 6, 2024, after she dialled 911 about a possible prowler, and a dispute over boiling water escalated, which Grayson said made him fear being scalded.
- Body-Camera footage shows the shooting unfold, capturing Sean Grayson's three rounds fired, with Dawson Farley's body-worn camera evidence central as Grayson's own activated shortly after he pulled his weapon.
- The Massey family secured a $10,000,000 wrongful-death settlement, Sean Grayson retains appeal rights, and the judge set March 6 for the hearing; Illinois law allows release after serving about 10 years.
- The case has intensified debates over police practices and mental-health responses, with Massey family and critics urging federal charges and state Sen. Doris Turner backing stricter background checks.
139 Articles
139 Articles
Capitol Fa - Your Illinois News Radar » Sean Grayson sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Sonya MasseyCapitolFax.com
* Sun-Times… A white former sheriff’s deputy convicted of murdering an unarmed Black woman in her Springfield area home was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison, marking a capstone in a racially charged case of police brutality that drew national headlines. A jury in October found Sean Grayson, 31, guilty of second-degree murder for fatally shooting [...]
Ex-deputy sentenced to 20 years in fatal shooting of Sonya Massey | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
The Illinois sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed Sonya Massey, a Black woman who was confronted by officers at her home in 2024 after she had called 911, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Former Illinois Deputy Sentenced To 20 Years For The Murder Of Sonya Massey
On Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, the final chapter of the tragedy that gripped the nation reached a somber conclusion in a Springfield, Illinois, courtroom. Sean Grayson, a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey. This sentence is the statutory maximum under the charge […] The post Former Illinois Deputy Sentenced To 20 Years For The Murder Of Sonya Massey appeared first on T…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 63% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium































