Sean Grayson Dies Months Into Sentence for Sonya Massey Killing
Sean Grayson Dies at 32, While in Prison for Sonya Massey Death ... Suffered from Cancer
Published
Sean Grayson, the former Illinois sheriff's deputy convicted in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, has died.
Grayson's attorney, Daniel Fultz, tells TMZ Sean died around noon Sunday Central Time. Fultz declined to provide any additional details. Sources close to the situation tell us the root cause of death was colon cancer.
Grayson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023. His attorneys later said the disease had progressed to Stage 4 and spread to his liver, lungs and rectum. In July, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board denied Grayson's request for medical release.
Grayson was about six months into a 20-year sentence for second-degree murder ... after he was convicted in the 2024 shooting of Massey -- a 36-year-old woman who had called 911 to report a prowler at her Illinois home.
The shooting happened shortly after deputies arrived at Massey's home and was captured on body camera video. The case sparked nationwide outrage, protests and calls for accountability.
During his trial, Grayson testified that Massey picked up a pot of boiling water, causing him to back away. He said he believed she was going to throw it at him after she told him, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus." Grayson said he interpreted the statement as a threat.
