Sonya Massey

Illinois

Reaction to the Sean Grayson verdict

Sean Crawford

Grayson was found guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Sonya Massey.

Sean Grayson, a former Sangamon County sheriff's deputy, was indicted July 17, 2024, on first-degree murder charges in the July 6 shooting death of Sonya Massey.

Sangamon County IL

Grayson found guilty of second-degree murder

Dean Olsen

Grayson was on trial for the 2024 shooting death of Sonya Massey.

Supporters gather outside the Peoria County Courthouse Tuesday while jurors deliberate the first-degree murder charges against ex-cop Sean Grayson in the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey.

Sangamon County IL

Jury deliberates in murder case of ex-deputy who fatally shot Sonya Massey

Mawa Iqbal

Jurors deliberated Tuesday afternoon on first-degree murder charges against Sean Grayson but didn’t reach a verdict after closing arguments offered competing views of why he killed Massey. They will resume work this morning.

Sangamon County IL

Deputy who killed Sonya Massey takes the stand in his defense

Mawa Iqbal

The case could go to the jury this week.

A Macon County Sheriff’s Office mugshot of Sean Grayson was taken on Oct. 24. Grayson, a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy, is charged with the first-degree murder of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman.

Springfield IL

Sean Grayson's trial begins second week in Peoria

Mawa Iqbal

Friends, family and supporters of Sonya Massey gather outside the Peoria County Courthouse on Monday, Oct. 20, during jury selection for the trial of a former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy accused of her murder.

Sangamon County IL

Testimony underway in the murder case against former Sangamon County deputy

Beth Hundsdorfer

Sean Grayson is accused of unlawfully using deadly force in the shooting of Sonya Massey last year

Sonya Massey’s mother, Donna, and daughter, Summer, embrace after Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill Tuesday honoring their mother and requiring stricter police background checks. Sonya Massey was killed by a Sangamon County deputy in July 2024.

Sangamon County IL

Pritzker signs police background check expansion in Sonya Massey’s honor

Jerry Nowicki

Deputy accused of Sangamon County woman’s murder had troubling past

Sangamon County IL

Sean Grayson moved to the Sangamon County jail

Sean Crawford

Grayson will stand trial this fall for murder in the death of Sonya Massey.

Illinois

The killing of Sonya Massey - one year later

Sean Crawford

Events were held in her honor Sunday on the anniversary of her death.

Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, speaks on the Illinois Senate floor on Wednesday in favor of his bill to require anti-bias training for maternal health providers.

Equity & Justice

Prisoner Review Board reform, changes to police hiring clear General Assembly

Bridgette Fox

House also approves bill in response to deadly 2021 tornado that hit Illinois warehouse