SPRINGFIELD - A Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy has been indicted on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, in connection with the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey on July 6, 2024. Sangamon County State's Attorney John Milhiser announced the charges on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
Massey lived on the 2800 block of South Hoover Ave. in unincorporated Springfield and had called 911 to report suspicious activity near her home.
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Deputy Sean Grayson is accused of discharging his firearm inside Massey's home, resulting in her death. Milhiser stated that the review of the case "does not support a finding that [Grayson] was justified in his use of deadly force."
Grayson faces three counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. He remains in custody and is scheduled for arraignment on Thursday. Prosecutors will file a petition to detain him under the Pre-Trial Fairness Act, with a detention hearing to follow the arraignment.
Massey, a 36-year-old black woman, was pronounced dead at St. John's Hospital. Few details have been released about the incident. On Wednesday, body camera footage from the night of the shooting was shown privately to Massey's family.
Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell released a statement expressing his condolences and emphasizing the need for an independent investigation.
"First and foremost, my heart breaks for the family and friends of Sonya Massey. This is a tragic incident, and we mourn with them and the community," Campbell said. He confirmed that Grayson’s employment with the Sheriff's Office had been terminated and supported the release of the body camera footage.
The family did not release a statement following the viewing, but indicated that they might do so on Thursday. Outside the Springfield NAACP headquarters, dozens of supporters gathered to show solidarity.
"We are following the family's lead, whatever it is that they ask. We're here to support that," said Sunshine Clemons of Black Lives Matter Springfield.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued this statement about the case:
"Sonya Massey was concerned for her safety and called law enforcement to her home for protection. Like all Illinoisans, she deserved that protection. Instead, innocent and unarmed, she was gunned down by an officer of the law. My heart breaks for Sonya’s children, for her family and friends and for all who knew and loved her, and I am enraged that another innocent black woman had her life taken from her at the hands of a police officer.
I’m grateful to the Springfield State’s Attorney’s office for bringing the appropriate charges in this case. May Sonya Massey’s memory be a blessing, and may it fuel our work to build a system of justice in this country that truly protects all of its citizens.”
Sangamon County Board Chairman Van Meter condemned the incident and called for justice in the case.
"Sonya Massey’s murder is a tragedy that reverberates in multiple dimensions," Van Meter said. "We must not let the tragic decision of one individual besmirch our highly trained and dedicated law enforcement officers."
State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) released the following statement in response to the charges brought against a Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy in the death of Sonya Massey:
“The actions taken by this officer were unjustified and reprehensible. Incidents like this erode public trust in those who are called to protect the community. This never should have happened.
“I stand with the Massey family and my community as we mourn the untimely and unjust loss of Sonya. Thoughts and prayers are not enough – we need change.”
Massey's family has obtained nationally known civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who also represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in high-profile cases.
“It is extremely hard to imagine how a woman who calls the police out of fear of an intruder ends up shot in the head by the police at her own home," he said in a statement last week.
Following the indictment, Crump called it "an important milestone in the pursuit of justice for Sonya Massey’s family. While nothing can undo the heinous actions of this officer, we hope the scales of justice will continue to hold him accountable and we will demand transparency at every step. "
Crump is reportedly planning to attend Massey's funeral on Friday in Springfield.
The Illinois State Police are handling the investigation. The agency noted that the delay in releasing the video was to protect the integrity of the legal process and ensure a fair trial.
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