Deputy Shooting-911 Response
Donna Massey, mother of Sonya Massey, reacts in Springfield, Ill., on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, to the 20-year sentence given to former Illinois sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson for the July 6, 2024 shooting of Sonya in her home in Springfield.
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A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting Sonya Massey, a Black women who dialed 911 asking for help. Sean Grayson was convicted of second-degree murder in October. He was sentenced on Thursday. The white former deputy killed Massey on July 6, 2024. The 36-year-old single mother had called the police saying she feared there was a prowler outside her Springfield home. Grayson shot her in the face. Grayson can shorten his sentence by half with good behavior. He has been incarcerated since he was charged in Massey’s killing.
