Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy convicted in the 2024 fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, has died while serving his prison sentence. He was 32.
Grayson died Sunday, August 23, 2026, according to his attorney, Daniel L. Fultz. Grayson had been receiving treatment for Stage 4 colon cancer. His attorney confirmed his death but did not disclose whether cancer was the official cause of death.
Grayson was serving a 20-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder last October in the death of Massey. He was also sentenced to two years of mandatory supervised release following his prison term.
The Death of Sonya Massey
The case stemmed from the July 6, 2024, shooting of 36-year-old Sonya Massey, who had called 911 to report a possible prowler outside her home near Springfield, Illinois.
Grayson and another deputy responded to Massey’s residence. Body-camera footage from the other deputy captured the confrontation inside Massey’s home. During the encounter, Massey picked up a pot containing hot water after Grayson had told her to remove it from the stove.
Grayson threatened to shoot Massey and ultimately fired his weapon, striking her. She died from her injuries. Grayson’s own body camera was not activated for most of the encounter and turned on shortly after he drew his weapon.
Grayson was initially charged with first-degree murder. A jury ultimately convicted him of the lesser charge of second-degree murder in October 2025.
Cancer Diagnosis and Denied Medical Release
Grayson’s health had become a major issue during his legal proceedings. His attorneys said he had been diagnosed with colon cancer before Massey’s shooting and that the disease had progressed to an advanced stage, spreading to his liver and lungs.
In May 2026, Grayson sought compassionate medical release, arguing that his terminal illness warranted release from prison. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board rejected his request in July and ordered him to remain incarcerated.
His death came less than a year after he began serving his 20-year sentence.
Massey Family Responds
Attorneys representing Sonya Massey’s family acknowledged Grayson’s death while emphasizing that his passing does not erase the loss of Massey.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represented the Massey family, said Grayson’s death from cancer while in custody does not bring Sonya back and expressed prayers for both families as they grieve.
Massey’s death sparked nationwide outrage, protests and renewed debate over police use of force and law-enforcement accountability. The case also contributed to legislative reforms in Illinois, including the Sonya Massey Act, which strengthened background-check requirements for law-enforcement hiring.
Grayson’s death closes the criminal case with his sentence uncompleted, but the circumstances surrounding Sonya Massey’s death continue to have a lasting impact on her family and the broader discussion about policing and accountability in Illinois.
