Ex-deputy jailed 20 years for fatally shooting Sonya Massey during 911 call

A former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy, Sean Grayson, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder in the 2024 fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, who had called 911 for help. The case sparked protests and a U.S. Department of Justice inquiry; Massey’s family pressed for the maximum sentence. Grayson apologized, saying he froze and made terrible decisions, while his lawyers highlighted his late-stage cancer. With time already served and good-behavior credits, he could be released in just under eight-and-a-half years.