The former Illinois deputy sheriff charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman killed in her Sangamon County home, had been employed by a half-dozen police agencies since 2020, according to state law enforcement records.
Sean Grayson’s career includes brief stints as a part-time officer in three small police departments and a full-time job in a fourth department as well as full-time work in two sheriff’s offices, all in central Illinois.
Grayson, 30, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and disorderly conduct in the July 6 killing. He was fired last week by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said Massey called 911 to report a suspected prowler. Two officers eventually showed up at his home in Springfield, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.
The sheriff’s body camera video released Monday confirmed prosecutors’ account of the tense moment when Grayson yelled at Massey across a counter to put down a pot of hot water. He then threatened to shoot the unarmed woman, Massey ducked and briefly stood up, and Grayson fired his pistol at her. Massey was hit three times, including a fatal shot to the head.
At a news conference Tuesday in Springfield, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Massey’s family, said the Justice Department has opened an investigation into the incident, “which is a good thing because the family has raised some concerns and disclosures that we believe need to be investigated.” He said he did not know the scope of the investigation.
But in a statement, the Justice Department said it “is aware of and evaluating the circumstances surrounding the officer’s tragic death” and will “continue to monitor the criminal case.”
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, has called for the resignation of Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell.
“I want to tell you the sheriff is a disgrace,” Wilburn said. “That man (Grayson) should never have had a badge. And he should never have had a gun. He should never have had the opportunity to kill my child.”
A phone message was left at Campbell’s office.
The Associated Press is seeking Grayson’s employment history from all six agencies.
The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board says Grayson was hired part-time on Aug. 11, 2020, by the Pawnee Police Department. He was also hired part-time on Feb. 4, 2021, by the Kincaid Police Department and on May 20, 2021, by the Virden Police Department.
Two months later, he was hired full-time by the Auburn Police Department and remained there until May 1, 2022, when he was hired full-time by the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. Grayson left Logan County on April 28, 2023, and was hired full-time on May 1, 2023, by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
He received his part-time law enforcement certification on June 5, 2021, according to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. His certification status is currently suspended on the board’s website.
Grayson’s attorney, Daniel Fultz, declined to comment.
Wilburn and Sonya Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, met with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton at a Baptist church Tuesday morning.
“They understood that the Sonya Masseys of this world often do not have due process of law. And they were determined to ensure that the investigation and the proceedings would be fair and transparent at every level,” Crump said.
The family wants Congress to approve the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, both of which were approved by U.S. House Democrats in 2021 before the legislation was rejected by the Senate. The former aims to crack down on police misconduct, excessive use of force and racial bias in law enforcement, while the voting rights act would require local jurisdictions to seek federal approval before changing election laws.
“Every member of Congress must vote today so that no one else in the United States of America has to go through what we are going through,” Wilburn said.
In a statement released Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris said she joins President Joe Biden in calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
“Sonya Massey deserved to be safe,” Harris said. “After calling the police for help, she was tragically killed in her own home by a police officer sworn to protect and serve. The disturbing images released yesterday confirm what we know from the lived experience of so many: we have much work to do to ensure our justice system lives up to its reputation.”
Massey’s oldest child, Malachi Hill Massey, 17, said he watched the beginning of the body camera video of his mother’s shooting but did not finish it.
“I have no words to describe it,” Malachi Massey said.
Grayson was being held without bail at the Sangamon County Jail. If convicted, he faces prison sentences ranging from 45 years to life for murder, six to 30 years for assault and battery and two to five years for disorderly conduct.
