Former Illinois deputy sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Sonya Massey

January 29, 2026

TL;DR

Sean Grayson, a former Illinois sheriff's deputy, was sentenced to 20 years for the second-degree murder of Sonya Massey.
Massey had called 911 to report a potential prowler at her home.
Grayson testified he feared Massey would scald him with a pot of hot water.
Massey's family expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, calling it inadequate.
The incident resulted in a $10 million settlement, requirements for de-escalation training, and changes to Illinois law on transparency for law enforcement candidates.

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