Deputy Sean Grayson Faces Trial in Death of Sonya Massey.
Massey was fatally shot on July 6, 2024, after contacting 911 to report an intruder at her Springfield, Illinois, residence.
The trial of former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, accused of killing Sonya Massey, a Black woman from Illinois, began Monday, Oct. 20, more than a year after her death.
The trial of former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, who is accused of killing Sonya Massey, a Black woman from Illinois, began on Monday, Oct. 20, more than a year after her death.
The trial, initially scheduled to be held in Sangamon County, was relocated to Peoria following extensive media coverage, according to the Associated Press. Grayson faces three counts of first-degree murder, along with charges of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
On July 6, 2024, 36-year-old Sonya Massey was killed after calling 911 to report an intruder at her Springfield home. Prosecutors allege that Deputy Sean Grayson entered her residence and shot her in the head within moments of arrival. Body-camera footage reportedly shows Massey complying with commands and unarmed at the time.
“The family of Sonya Massey continues to grieve her senseless death but remains steadfast in their commitment to attend the trial and pursue full justice for Sonya,” the family’s attorneys said in a statement released ahead of jury selection.
Outside the courthouse, civil rights organizations and community advocates gathered in solidarity with Massey’s family, calling for greater transparency and systemic reform in law enforcement accountability.
“I really feel like it was a senseless slaying that happened, and I want to see the police held accountable,” said Keri Hayes, chair of the ACLU’s racial justice committee in Peoria, in an interview with NBC News.
Grayson has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody without bond. His defense attorneys argue that he acted in self-defense, claiming he believed Massey was armed—though investigators reported finding no weapon at the scene.
Prosecutors contend that the body-camera footage directly refutes that account.
The killing sparked protests across Illinois and renewed national calls for stronger police-accountability laws. Among the groups demanding justice is Peorians for Justice for Sonya Massey, whose members demonstrated outside the courthouse, calling for reform. According to the group’s official Facebook page, its mission is to “demand accountability, transparency, and change.”
