Former Sangamon County deputy convicted of murder dies while incarcerated

Sean Grayson, a former deputy of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, died while incarcerated, according to his lawyer Daniel L. Fultz. Grayson had been found guilty last October of second-degree murder for shooting Sonya Massey inside her home in 2024 and was serving a 20-year sentence followed by two years of supervised release. He was receiving treatment for Stage 4 colon cancer, but the exact cause of his death remains unclear.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board had recently rejected his request for medical release, ordering him to remain in prison. The fatal incident occurred after Massey called police about a possible prowler; Grayson entered the home, and body-camera video later showed him drawing his weapon and firing, resulting in Massey's death. The Department of Corrections has not yet responded to inquiries about the case.