Sean Grayson: What we know about the Illinois deputy accused of killing Sonya Massey in her home

CNN
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The family of Sonya Massey is calling for an investigation into the hiring of a deputy accused of fatally shooting the 36-year-old Black woman in her Illinois home this month, citing concerns about records that show he worked for six law enforcement agencies in four years and was twice charged with drunken driving.

Sean Grayson, a 30-year-old Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy who has since been fired from the agency, was indicted by a grand jury last week on three counts of first-degree murder, one count each of aggravated assault with a firearm and abuse of office in connection with the July 6 shooting at Massey’s home near Springfield.

He pleaded not guilty and was not released pending trial, according to court records. State Board of Training and Standards records show Grayson’s law enforcement certification was suspended.

CNN has asked Grayson’s attorney for comment.

Massey is one of several black women killed by police in their own homes in recent years, including Breonna Taylor and Atatiana Jefferson.

In a press conference on Monday afternoon, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Massey’s family, linked her death to other cases of police violence against black people across the United States.

Here’s what we know about the former deputy sheriff charged with Massey’s murder:

According to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, Grayson had worked at six law enforcement agencies in Illinois since 2020.

In August 2020, he began a part-time position with the Pawnee Police Department, then moved to the Kincaid and Virden Police Departments before accepting full-time positions with the Auburn Police Department, Logan County Sheriff’s Office and, in May 2023, Sangamon County.

It is unclear why Grayson changed jobs so frequently, and CNN has reached out to other law enforcement agencies for more information.

According to court records, Grayson was charged with drunken driving twice in Macoupin County, Illinois – once in 2015 and once in 2016.

The first incident occurred in August 2015, when Grayson’s vehicle was impounded after he was charged with driving under the influence. He pleaded guilty and paid a fine of over $1,320, according to court records. Another charge, accusing him of driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of 0.08%, was dropped.

The following July, Grayson was again charged with drunken driving, pleaded guilty and paid a fine of more than $2,400, court records show.

A petition calling for an investigation into Sangamon County’s reasons for hiring Grayson was circulated at a march and barbecue in Springfield on Monday night, CNN affiliate WICS reported.

Massey’s family and their attorneys asked the county to investigate the decision to hire him, raising concerns about his criminal record and his work for six departments in four years, according to WICS.

Illinois State Police released a 36-minute video on Monday that also includes bodycam footage from each of the two Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputies who were called to Massey’s home early on the morning of July 6. Massey had called 911 to report a possible “burglar” at her Springfield home, according to a court document filed by prosecutors.

Body camera footage shows Grayson and another deputy calmly talking to Massey inside her home — at which point she goes to the stove to put down a pot of boiling water. Then she takes the pot and the other deputy steps back, “away from your hot, steamy water,” he says.

“I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” she replies.

“Huh?” says the MP.

“I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” she repeats.

“You better not fucking do that, or I swear to God I’ll fucking shoot you in the fucking face,” Grayson says.

He then pulls out his gun and points it at her, causing her to duck and say, “I’m sorry” while lifting the pot, the video shows.

“Drop the damn pot!” both MPs shout.

Three shots are heard. After a few seconds of silence, an officer says, “Shots fired” and calls an ambulance.

“Dude, I’m not putting fucking boiling water on my fucking head. And look, it went down to our feet too,” Grayson says.

Minutes after the shooting, Grayson is talking to another officer. “She had boiling water and came at me with boiling water,” he says in the video. “She said she was going to rebuke me in the name of Jesus and came at me with boiling water.”

Grayson did not activate his body camera until after he fatally shot Massey, charging documents say. The other officer had activated his body camera when he arrived at the scene, documents say.

In the body camera footage, Grayson tells his partner that Massey did not require medical attention immediately after the shooting.

The other deputy says he’s going to get a first aid kit, but Grayson replies, “Nah, she’s done. You can get it, but that’s a shot to the head.”

Grayson later goes to his vehicle to get his own medication. When he gets home, he asks if there is anything he can do, but is told there is nothing he can do.

“Well, then I won’t waste my medication,” says Grayson.

Next, Grayson leaves the house and speaks to a group of police officers outside. “Yeah, I’m fine, that fucking bitch is crazy,” he says, according to the footage.

Since the shooting, local and state officials have criticized the deputy’s actions as an unjustified use of deadly force.

A review of the Illinois State Police investigation into the shooting “does not support the finding that … Grayson’s use of deadly force was justified,” Sangamon County Attorney John Milhiser said in a July 17 news release.

In a court document filed by the state last week, prosecutors said a “use of force” expert reviewed the body camera footage and concluded the use of deadly force was not justified.

“(The expert) compared the scenario to a police officer intentionally and unnecessarily placing himself in front of a moving vehicle and then justifying the use of force by fear of being struck,” prosecutors wrote.

The sheriff’s office said Grayson was fired. “It is clear that the deputy did not act as trained and did not meet our standards,” the office said.

Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said during a news conference Monday that he initially received conflicting information from law enforcement.

“I was under the impression that a burglar broke in and killed my baby. They never said it was a shooting involving a deputy until my brother read it on the Internet,” Wilburn said.

At the press conference, Crump called her killing “senseless on every level.”

Crump was referring to what Grayson had said – “I’m going to shoot you in the fucking face” – before Massey was shot.

“Black women do not receive the same attention and respect in America,” Crump said.

CNN’s Lucy Kafanov, Bill Kirkos, Eric Levenson, Jillian Sykes, Brad Parks and Andy Rose contributed to this report.