Sean Grayson finally broke down Thursday when a judge handed him the maximum 20 years for killing Sonya Massey. The former Sangamon County deputy got exactly what prosecutors wanted after months of showing zero remorse.
Judge Ryan Cadigan didn’t hold back when he delivered the sentence in Springfield, Illinois. Grayson faced four to 20 years for second-degree murder, but the judge made it clear this case demanded the harshest punishment possible.
“That bit of unreasonable rage needs to be deterred,” Cadigan said from the bench.
The 36-year-old Black mother called 911 about a possible prowler outside her home, but ended up dead in her own kitchen instead of getting help. For the first time since July 2024, Grayson actually apologized for what he did to Massey.
“I wish there was something I could do to bring her back,” Grayson told the packed courtroom. “I wish this didn’t happen. I wish they didn’t have to go through this experience. I am very sorry.”
His words came way too late for Massey’s family, who filled eight rows of the courthouse. About 50 protesters gathered outside, chanting “Say her name: Sonya Massey” while the proceedings went down inside.
Summer Massey, now 16, spoke directly to her mother’s killer during victim impact statements. She kept her eyes locked on the paper in front of her while Grayson watched from the defendant’s table.
“It does not feel like he truly understands or cares about the damage he has caused,” Summer said.
The teenager told reporters afterward that 20 years wasn’t enough, but she felt grateful for the maximum sentence. Her brother, Malachi Hill Massey, 19, described his pain as “unimaginable” during his statement.
“My soul is ripped, it’s like a part of me is really dead,” Malachi said.
Body camera footage from July 6, 2024, shows exactly how this tragedy unfolded. Grayson and his partner responded to Massey’s 911 call about a suspected intruder.
Inside her home, Grayson noticed a pot of boiling water on the stove and told Massey to move away from it.
Massey poured the water into the sink and repeated Grayson’s words back to him. Then she said something that apparently triggered the deputy: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson immediately drew his weapon and threatened to shoot her. Massey apologized and ducked behind a counter, covering her face with what looked like a red oven mitt.
When she briefly stood up, Grayson fired three shots into her face.
During his October 2025 trial, Grayson claimed he feared Massey would throw the scalding water at him. The jury didn’t buy his story and convicted him of second-degree murder after nearly 12 hours of deliberation.
Grayson will fight serious health challenges during his bid. He has colon cancer that has spread throughout his body since his 2023 diagnosis.
Massey’s mother, Donna, delivered her own powerful statement, addressing Grayson with the same words her daughter spoke before dying: “Sean Grayson, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
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