Cop gets 20 years for fatal shooting of woman

Sean Grayson, 31, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the second-degree murder of Sonya Massey in Sangamon County, Illinois, in 2024. The sentencing followed his conviction last October. Grayson received 20 years with the Illinois Department of Corrections, plus two years of mandatory supervised release, with the right to appeal.

The judge stated that firing three shots endangered the neighborhood and a strict sentence was necessary for deterrence. While the defense argued Grayson's circumstances (no longer able to own a gun or be a police officer) made recurrence unlikely, the judge believed the shooting stemmed from Grayson's temper and mindset. Probation was deemed insufficient for the crime's seriousness.

Massey's family attended the sentencing, with one member exclaiming "yes!" as the sentence was delivered. Her mother, Donna, thanked the court, while Massey's father and two teenage children also provided impact statements detailing their profound loss and grief. Sonta, Massey's daughter, described a deep loss, and her son Malachai spoke of his soul being ripped.

Grayson's defense team presented character letters and argued for probation, highlighting his previously successful probation completion and good behavior. They also presented evidence of Grayson's Stage 3 colon cancer, which had spread, and Stage 4 rectal and lung cancer, arguing imprisonment posed health risks. The judge found no evidence that prison would negatively impact his cancer treatment.

The incident occurred in July 2024 when Massey, 36, called police about a possible prowler. Grayson's partner, Dawson Farley, testified that he did not feel threatened by Massey and only unholstered his weapon because Grayson did. Grayson testified he was concerned by broken windows on Massey's car and her delayed response to the door, believing she might be under the influence.