Who was Sonya Massey? Looking back at her fatal 2024 shooting as suspect Sean Grayson gets 20 years in prison
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old mother of two, was fatally shot in July 2024 over by a former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy, Sean Grayson, at her own home in Illinois. Grayson, on Thursday, was sentenced to maximum 20 years in prison at a Sangamon County court. Sean Grayson was sentenced to 20 years on Thursday, January 29, for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey in 2024. (AP) Grayson was originally charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. The jury ultimately convicted him of second-degree murder in October 2025. At the time, it was a lesser sentence that nonetheless carried a prison sentence of up to 20 years. During sentencing, Grayson, a white deputy, said that he “made a lot of mistakes that night.” He apologized to Massey’s family and stated that he wished he could save Massey’s family from the suffering he inflicted and bring her back. He said, “I made terrible decisions that night. I’m sorry.” Read more: Sean Grayson conviction: Why was Sonya Massey shot by Illinois sheriff’s deputy? …





