Ex-Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson Faces Trial in Killing of Sonya Massey

The murder trial of former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson opened Monday, Oct. 20, more than a year after the fatal shooting of 36-year-old Sonya Massey inside her Springfield home.

The case, originally slated for Sangamon County, was moved to Peoria in response to extensive media attention. Grayson faces three counts of first-degree murder, as well as charges of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.

Prosecutors say Massey called 911 on July 6, 2024, to report a possible intruder. Minutes later, Grayson entered the residence and shot her in the head. Body-camera footage, according to the state, shows Massey unarmed and complying with commands when the shot was fired.

Grayson has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond. His attorneys contend he acted in self-defense, claiming he believed Massey was armed—an assertion investigators dispute, noting no weapon was recovered at the scene. Prosecutors say the video evidence directly contradicts the defense.

Outside the courthouse, civil-rights groups and community advocates rallied alongside Massey’s relatives, renewing calls for police accountability and systemic reform. “The family of Sonya Massey continues to grieve her senseless death but also is fiercely committed to being present throughout the trial as they continue their hope for full justice for Sonya,” the family’s attorneys said in a statement ahead of jury selection.

“I really feel like it was a senseless slaying,” said Keri Hayes, chair of the ACLU’s racial justice committee in Peoria, “and I really want to see the police being held accountable.”

Massey’s killing sparked protests across Illinois and intensified national demands for law-enforcement accountability legislation. Members of Peorians for Justice for Sonya Massey—an advocacy group that says it seeks “accountability, transparency, and change”—demonstrated outside the courthouse as proceedings began.