Julia Langhorn of Peoria shows her support for Sonya Massey as traffic passes on the first day of the Sean Grayson trial Monday, Oct. 20, 2025 in Downtown Peoria.
A still image from body-worn camera footage moments before a Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy fatally shot Sonya Massey on July 6, 2024.
Donna Massey mourns the loss of her daughter, Sonya Massey, who was fatally shot in her home by a Sangamon County sheriff's deputy on July 6, 2024. Donna Massey was attending a protest in front of the Sangamon County Building in Springfield, Illinois on July 12, 2024.

PEORIA, IL – A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy was found guilty of second-degree murder on Oct. 29 in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman whose killing sparked protests and a Department of Justice investigation last year.

The verdict against Sean Grayson, 31, arrived on the second day of deliberations. Grayson was charged with first-degree murder but an option for second-degree murder was added to jury instructions before deliberations began.

The former deputy now faces up to 20 years in prison. Judge Ryan Cadagin scheduled a sentencing hearing for Jan. 29, 2026.

Attorneys for the Massey family said while they wish Grayson was convicted of first-degree murder, the verdict represented "a measure of justice for Sonya Massey."

"Accountability has begun, and we now hope the court will impose a meaningful sentence that reflects the severity of these crimes and the life that was lost," attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci said in a statement. "We will continue to fight for Sonya’s family and for reforms that protect everyone from unlawful use of force."

Grayson, who is White, shot and killed 36-year-old Massey in her home after she called police to report a possible intruder in July 2024. At the time, Massey was in the throes of a mental health crisis, her family and officials have said.

Prosecutors argued that Grayson escalated the situation and described his use-of-force as excessive and unjustified. Grayson, who was fired after the incident, said he shot Massey because he believed she was going to throw a pot of boiling water at him, claiming self-defense.

The killing of Massey, a mother of two who had long struggled with mental illness, touched off a wave of demonstrations and nationwide calls for police reform. The shooting also shook up the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, which underwent a flurry of personnel and policy changes.

In February, Sangamon County agreed to a $10 million settlement with Massey's family, an amount that's believed to be the largest single payout in the county's history.

What happened in the case?

On July 6, 2024, Grayson and another deputy from the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office arrived at Massey's home in Springfield, Illinois, after she reported a possible intruder. Body camera footage shows the deputies telling Massey they searched around her house and didn't find anything.

Minutes later, inside Massey's home, Grayson told her to take a pot of hot water off the stove. While holding the pot, Massey said "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus." Grayson responded by saying "you better not" and that he would shoot Massey.

He pulled out his weapon and yelled at Massey to drop the pot.

"OK, I'm sorry," Massey said before ducking behind her kitchen counter. Grayson approached and fired three times, striking Massey once in the face. She was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Within weeks, Grayson was fired and arrested on murder charges. Sangamon Sheriff Jack Campbell retired after pressure from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to resign. And in order to resolve a federal probe by the Department of Justice, the sheriff's office and county agreed to update its procedures and training to better engage with those experiencing mental health crises.

Springfield officials, meanwhile, called for a review of the department's hiring practices after previous allegations of misconduct against Grayson were revealed.

Grayson's blemished record included two DUIs, a discharge from the U.S. Army for "serious misconduct" and complaints against him from the people he policed as well as other law enforcement officers. Details of his previous work in law enforcement were excluded from the murder trial.

Defense, prosecution presented conflicted arguments over use-of-force

In court, prosecutors argued that Grayson's actions constituted murder. To bolster their case, they called several law enforcement experts to the stand who said Grayson's behavior escalated the situation. His partner who responded to Massey's home also took the stand and said he was "not threatened" by Massey.

"I'm sorry!" State's Attorney Mary Beth Rodgers said during closing arguments, as she jumped back from the podium. "Those are the last words Sonya Massey said before the defendant murdered her, just like he said he was going to."

Grayson's attorneys, meanwhile, said their client was in fear for his life. They called to the stand use-of-force experts who said Grayson's actions were appropriate. One expert called the shooting "a successful de-escalation."

Taking the stand in his own defense, Grayson told the court he considered using a Taser but decided against it because he wasn't sure if it would work through her clothes.

"A Taser doesn't work on everybody," he said.

He added: "I believe she's going to throw the water. We were trained to use force that's going to gain compliance."

The trial weighed heavily on Sonya Massey's family

Massey had reportedly been in a state of crisis in the weeks leading up to the shooting, talking with a mobile crisis team in Springfield three times in the two weeks before her death, according to details of her interactions released by the sheriff's office.

Massey's family said she struggled with a mental illness and was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that can cause headaches, confusion and memory loss. Massey was previously employed as a home health care aide before the chronic disease forced her not to work.

In the year since her death, Massey's relatives described her in interviews as a loving mother who cared deeply for her family, taking the role as cook at their family barbecues.

"She was just a happy person all the way around," her cousin, Crystal Chalmers, previously told USA TODAY. "I've never seen her upset or angry, and she would always do what she can to help anybody that was in need."

Grayson's murder trial was hard for them to watch.

"It's tough, but we have to get to the finish line," said Sontae Massey, another of Sonya Massey's cousins, outside the courthouse last week.

"We want Sonya to be still here," she added. "I still think of Sonya every day and want to call her every day and that could have happened if (the deputies had done) their jobs."

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-deputy found guilty of murder in fatal shooting of Sonya Massey

Reporting by Christopher Cann and Steven Spearie, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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