Sean Grayson, the previous Illinois sheriff’s deputy convicted of fatally taking pictures Sonya Massey in her dwelling in 2024 after she referred to as 911 to report a prowler, has died, his lawyer mentioned Sunday.
Daniel Fultz, the lawyer who represented Grayson throughout his homicide trial, mentioned he died round midday. He was six months into his 20-year sentence for second-degree homicide.
Grayson, 32, was identified with Stage 3 colon most cancers in 2023, and it had progressed to Stage 4 and unfold to his liver, lungs and rectum, one other protection lawyer, Mark Wykoff, mentioned at his sentencing in January. In July, he was denied medical launch by the Illinois Prisoner Evaluate Board.
It was not instantly clear whether or not most cancers is what brought on Grayson’s demise.
Grayson shot Massey, 36, after he responded to her 911 name shortly earlier than 1 a.m. July 6, 2024. The taking pictures, which was captured on physique digicam video, set off protests and requires justice.
Grayson was convicted final yr.
Through the 911 response, Massey picked up a pot of boiling water from her range, prompting Grayson to again away, in response to courtroom testimony.
Grayson testified that he believed Massey was going to throw the boiling water on him after she mentioned, “I rebuke you within the identify of Jesus.” When Grayson appeared confused, Massey repeated the sentence.
He testified that he took the comment as a risk.
Grayson pointed his gun at Massey and threatened to shoot her, in response to physique digicam video. She apologized and dropped to the ground, however he fired thrice, hanging her.
Grayson declined to supply medical care, Sangamon County State’s Lawyer John Milhiser mentioned in courtroom. Massey was pronounced lifeless at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.
First Assistant State’s Lawyer Mary Beth Rodgers mentioned in courtroom: “‘I’m sorry.’ That’s the very last thing Sonya Massey mentioned earlier than the defendant murdered her, identical to he mentioned he would.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Sonya Massey Act, a legislation requiring stricter background checks for legislation enforcement hires, and it went into impact firstly of the yr.
Sangamon County officers agreed in early 2025 to pay a $10 million settlement to Massey’s household.
