A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy was convicted Wednesday of second-degree murder in the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey, a Black mother of two who called 911 to report a possible prowler outside her Springfield home.
Sean Grayson, who was charged with first-degree murder, was found guilty of the lesser charge after jurors deliberated for nearly 12 hours following closing arguments on Tuesday. He faces four to 20 years in prison and could serve half that time with good behavior under state law.
Grayson’s family cried and held hands as the verdict was read. Outside the courthouse, protesters chanted, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” echoing Massey’s final words before she was shot in her kitchen.
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said he hopes the judge imposes the maximum sentence. “He showed no remorse. He was so cocky throughout this whole trial,” Wilburn said. “Yeah, that knocked the smirk off.”
Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represented Massey’s family in a $10 million civil settlement, said in a statement that the verdict was “still a measure of justice for Sonya Massey” but that Grayson’s actions warranted a first-degree conviction.
The case stemmed from a July 2024 incident in which Massey, 36, called authorities about a possible intruder. Body camera footage showed Grayson and his partner, Deputy Dawson Farley, confronting her in the kitchen. Moments later, Grayson shot her after she removed a pot of boiling water from the stove.
During the trial, Farley testified that he was not afraid of Massey’s actions and only drew his weapon to back up Grayson. Prosecutors said Grayson provoked the confrontation.
Sangamon County First Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Beth Rodgers told jurors that Massey had complied with deputies’ orders. “‘I’m sorry.’ That is the last thing Sonya Massey said before the defendant murdered her, just like he said he would,” Rodgers said.
Grayson testified that he believed Massey was about to throw the boiling water at him after she said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” He said he feared his stun gun might not work and chose to fire his handgun instead.
Defense attorney Daniel Fultz argued that Grayson acted to protect himself, calling the death “a tragedy, but not a crime.” Prosecutors countered that Grayson “snapped” after losing control of the situation.
Former federal prosecutor Mark Chutkow told NBC News that the defense made a “strategic decision” to seek inclusion of the second-degree murder charge. “The prosecution likely felt confident about their case and was willing to go for an all-or-nothing verdict,” Chutkow said.
The shooting led to protests and renewed scrutiny of police killings of Black Americans in their homes. It also prompted Illinois lawmakers to pass the Sonya Massey Act, signed in August, requiring stricter background checks in police hiring.
Wilburn said the outcome shows the country’s inequities. “There’s a difference in this country when you have my skin color and Grayson’s skin color,” he said. “We need serious justice, not a miscarriage of justice.”
Sentencing is expected later this year.
