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Ex-Illinois Deputy Convicted of Second-Degree Murder in Sonya Massey Killing

The lesser verdict reduces potential prison time, drawing outrage from Massey’s family as the case moves to sentencing.

Overview

  • A Peoria jury found Sean Grayson guilty after roughly 11 to 12 hours of deliberation over the 2024 shooting inside Massey’s Springfield home.
  • Jurors rejected first-degree counts; Grayson now faces 4 to 20 years in prison, with sentencing set for Jan. 29, 2026.
  • Body-camera video from Grayson’s partner showed the encounter escalating after Massey picked up a pot of boiling water and said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
  • Prosecutors argued Grayson violated training and failed to render aid, while he testified he fired in self-defense because he perceived a threat.
  • Sangamon County previously paid Massey’s family $10 million to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit, and her father denounced the second-degree verdict.