Coverage dated August 22, 2026 to August 26, 2026

A major development in the Sonya Massey case draws national attention again

Headline from The Oregonian

Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, who was convicted in the fatal 2024 shooting of Sonya Massey and sentenced to 20 years in prison, has died while incarcerated.

The Oregonian's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Reports & sources

69 articles, oldest first.

  1. Just the News

    Illinois sheriff deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey dies in first year of sentence (opens Just the News)

    Published

    Just the News's feed description

    The former deputy was diagnosed with colon cancer prior to the shooting.

  2. NBC Los Angeles

    Sean Grayson, ex-deputy convicted of fatally shooting Sonya Massey, dies, attorney says (opens NBC Los Angeles)

    Published

    NBC Los Angeles's feed description

    FILE – In this image from body camera video released by Illinois State Police, Sonya Massey, left, talks with Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024.

  3. NBC Chicago

    Sean Grayson, former sheriff's deputy who shot and killed Sonya Massey, has died (opens NBC Chicago)

    Published

    NBC Chicago's feed description

    The former Illinois sheriff’s deputy who was sentenced to two decades in prison for killing Sonya Massey inside her home has died, his attorney said. Defense attorney Daniel Fultz confirmed to NBC Chicago Grayson died on Sunday.

  4. WCIA Champaign

    Lawyers: convicted murderer Sean Grayson dies in prison (opens WCIA Champaign)

    Published

    WCIA Champaign's feed description

    CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) -- Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy who was convicted of killing Sonya Massey, has died. Daniel Fultz, one of Grayson's defense attorneys, confirmed with WCIA over email that Grayson died on Sunday.

  5. St. Louis Post-Dispatch

    Former sheriff's deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey dies in prison (opens St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

    Published

    St. Louis Post-Dispatch's feed description

    Sean Grayson, the former Illinois sheriff's deputy convicted of murdering Sonya Massey in her home in 2024, died Sunday.

  6. Sun Times

    Sean Grayson, former cop convicted of killing Sonya Massey, dies (opens Sun Times)

    Published

    Sun Times's feed description

    A white former cop convicted of killing a Black woman in her Springfield-area home two years ago died in prison Sunday, according to his legal team. Sean Grayson was battling stage 4 rectal cancer that had spread to his liver and lungs, and had in May requested an early medical release.

  7. CBS News

    Sean Grayson, convicted in killing of Sonya Massey, dies in prison, attorney says (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    Grayson, 32, was found guilty last October of second-degree murder for the shooting of Sonya Massey and was serving a 20-year sentence.

  8. News Nation Now

    Sean Grayson, ex-deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey dies in prison: Lawyers (opens News Nation Now)

    Published

    News Nation Now's feed description

    Earlier this year, Grayson was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

  9. Just the News

    Sean Grayson, former deputy who shot Sonya Massey, died in prison (opens Just the News)

    Published

    Just the News's feed description

    Grayson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, his attorney said in January, after Grayson was convicted of second-degree murder. By the time of the sentencing, the cancer had progressed to Stage 4 and spread throughout his body.

  10. Capitol News Illinois

    Former Sangamon County deputy convicted of murder dies while in custody (opens Capitol News Illinois)

    Published

    Capitol News Illinois's feed description

    Sean Grayson was denied compassionate parole just three weeks ago.

  11. Bangor Daily News

    Sean Grayson, former Illinois deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey, dies in prison, lawyer says (opens Bangor Daily News)

    Published

    Bangor Daily News's feed description

    CHICAGO (AP) — Sean Grayson, a former Illinois sheriff’s deputy whose fatal shooting of Sonya Massey inside her home became a flashpoint over police use of force, died Sunday while serving a 20-year prison sentence.

  12. New York Post

    Sean Grayson, ex-deputy who fatally shot Sonya Massey, dead in prison at 32 (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Sean Grayson's defense attorney, Daniel Fultz, confirmed to The Post that the former Illinois deputy died early Sunday — six months into his 20-year prison sentence.

  13. KBRW

    Sean Grayson, former deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey, dies in prison, lawyer says (opens KBRW)

    Published

    KBRW's feed description

    Sean Grayson, a former Illinois sheriff’s deputy whose fatal shooting of Sonya Massey inside her home became a flashpoint over police use of force, died Sunday while serving a 20-year prison sentence.

  14. Newsweek

    Who Was Sean Grayson? Ex-Deputy Who Killed Sonya Massey Dies at 32 (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    Sean Grayson, ex-deputy convicted in Sonya Massey's killing, has died in prison at 32.

  15. Phl17

    Sean Grayson, ex-Illinois deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey, dies in prison: Lawyer (opens Phl17)

    Published

    Phl17's feed description

    Massey, a Black woman, had called 911 to report she believed someone was trying to break into her home.

  16. Fox32 Chicago

    Sean Grayson, convicted in Sonya Massey's killing, dies in prison (opens Fox32 Chicago)

    Published

    Fox32 Chicago's feed description

    Sean Grayson, the former Illinois sheriff's deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey inside her Springfield-area home in 2024, died Sunday while serving a 20-year prison sentence. Sean Grayson dies in prison after Massey conviction Grayson's attorney, Daniel Fultz, confirmed his client's death Sunda…

  17. Washington Examiner

    Sonya Massey’s killer, Sean Grayson, dead at 32 after cancer battle (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy who gained notoriety for killing a woman in 2024 died on Sunday after battling Stage 4 colon cancer, according to his lawyer. Attorney Daniel Fultz said Sean Grayson, 32, died after being diagnosed with cancer in 2023.

  18. The Guardian

    Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy who killed Sonya Massey in her home dies aged 32 (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Sean Grayson, who was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2023, was serving a 20-year sentence for second-degree murder The former Illinois sheriff’s deputy convicted of fatally shooting Sonya Massey in her home after she reported a possible prowler to 911, has died, his attorney said Sunday.

  19. KYMA Yuma

    Sean Grayson, former Illinois deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey, dies in prison (opens KYMA Yuma)

    Published

    KYMA Yuma's feed description

    Former Illinois Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson, convicted in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, has died in prison.

  20. UPI

    Former officer convicted in Sonya Massey killing dies in prison (opens UPI)

    Published

    UPI's feed description

    Former Sangamon County, Ill., sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, the officer convicted for murdering Sonya Massey in 2024, has died in prison.

  21. Fox News

    Ex-deputy Sean Grayson dies serving 20-year prison term for Sonya Massey killing after medical release denied (opens Fox News)

    Published

    Fox News's feed description

    Sean Grayson died in prison while serving a 20-year sentence for the second-degree murder of Sonya Massey, after being denied medical release last month.

  22. The Oregonian

    A major development in the Sonya Massey case draws national attention again (opens The Oregonian)

    Published

    The Oregonian's feed description

    Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, who was convicted in the fatal 2024 shooting of Sonya Massey and sentenced to 20 years in prison, has died while incarcerated.

  23. WCIA Champaign

    Massey family raising questions after they were not informed of Sean Grayson's death (opens WCIA Champaign)

    Published

    WCIA Champaign's feed description

    ILLINOIS (WCIA) -- It didn’t take long for the news of Sean Grayson’s death to make the rounds on social media. Grayson had served just a little over six months of his 20-year sentence for killing Sonya Massey in 2024.

  24. New York Post

    Sonya Massey’s family feel robbed of ‘true justice’ after cop who murdered her dies (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Sonya Massey’s family said they believed they were robbed of true justice after former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, who was convicted in her murder, died of colon cancer just six months into a 20-year prison term.

  25. The Guardian

    Sonya Massey’s family says death of sheriff’s deputy who killed her ‘doesn’t feel like justice’ (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    A cousin says death of Sean Grayson in prison ‘doesn’t give Sonya back her life or return her’ to her children The death in prison of the former Illinois sheriff’s deputy convicted of murder after fatally shooting Sonya Massey in her home “doesn’t feel like justice to me”, a cousin of the woman has …

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