Former cop convicted of killing Sonya Massey dies in prison aged 32, attorney says

Former cop convicted of killing Sonya Massey dies in prison at 32, attorney says - Bookmark A former Illinois sheriff's deputy died in prison Sunday while serving time for fatally shooting a woman after she called 911 about a suspected prowler in her home, his lawyer said. Sean Grayson, 32, had served six months of his 20-year sentence for second-degree murder in the 2024 slaying of 34-year-old Sonya Massey, NBC News reported Sunday evening. Grayson died around noon, defense lawyer Daniel Fultz told NBC News. Grayson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, another lawyer said during his January sentencing. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board denied his request for a medical release in July. His cause of death wasn’t immediately clear, NBC News said. Grayson, who was white, killed Massey, who was Black, after responding to her 911 call, and bodycam video of the shooting sparked protests in Illinois and elsewhere, including New York City, Chicago and Atlanta. During his 2025 trial, Grayson testified that Massey picked up a pot of boiling water from her stove and walked toward him before saying, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” causing him to fear she was going to throw it on him. “I took it as a threat,” he said. “The only thing I had to stop the threat was my duty weapon.” More follows