Sean Grayson, who killed Sonya Massey, dies in US prison
Former Illinois police officer Sean Grayson, convicted of murdering Black woman Sonya Massey in 2024, has died in prison at 32 while being treated for cancer.
Sean Grayson, the former Illinois police officer convicted last year of second-degree murder over the killing of Sonya Massey, has died in custody at the age of 32. His lawyer, Daniel Fultz, confirmed to the BBC that Grayson died on Sunday, without disclosing the cause. Grayson had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer, diagnosed in 2023.
Grayson shot and killed 36-year-old Massey in July 2024, during the Independence Day weekend, after she called police to her home in Springfield, about 200 miles south of Chicago, believing an intruder had entered her property.
Body-camera footage showed a chaotic sequence of events. The confrontation escalated after an exchange over a pot of boiling water on Massey's stove. Massey made a religious remark before Grayson drew his weapon and threatened to shoot her if she did not drop the pot. Massey apologised and ducked, but Grayson fired three shots, hitting her in the face.
Grayson was fired from his job and initially charged with first-degree murder, though the jury ultimately convicted him of the lesser charge of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He had recently sought release on medical grounds, but the request was denied.
Massey's death sparked protests across the United States and reignited national debate over police violence against Black Americans. Then-President Joe Biden said at the time that Massey should still be alive. Lawyers representing Massey's family said Grayson's death from cancer does not bring Sonya back, adding that they wished his family peace, noting that Massey's relatives understand all too well the pain of losing a loved one.
