Jury Finds Ex–Illinois Deputy Guilty in Killing of 911 Caller Sonya MasseyNewsWithLalaNovember 23, 2025Former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Patrick Grayson has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of 36-year-old Sonya Lynaye Wilburn-Massey, a Springfield-area mother who called 911 for help on July 6, 2024. She had reported a possible prowler at her home; minutes later, the deputy who was supposed to protect her shot her in the head inside her own kitchen.

Bernadette Sparks

Buffalo, NY · 8 days ago

it's free reign and open season to kill and looking to walk free😲 Lord help us🙏

Jessica Miller

Flint, MI · 12 days ago

🥲✝️🛐

NewsWithLala

Ellenton, FL · 2 months ago

Jury Finds Ex–Illinois Deputy Guilty in Killing of 911 Caller Sonya Massey NewsWithLala November 23, 2025 Former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Patrick Grayson has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of 36-year-old Sonya Lynaye Wilburn-Massey, a Springfield-area mother who called 911 for help on July 6, 2024. She had reported a possible prowler at her home; minutes later, the deputy who was supposed to protect her shot her in the head inside her own kitchen. Prosecutors said Grayson escalated a minor interaction over a pot of hot water on the stove into a fatal encounter, even though Sonya was unarmed, apologizing, and trying to comply. A Peoria County jury, brought in because of intense local attention, rejected first-degree murder but convicted him on the lesser second-degree count. He now faces 4 to 20 years in prison, with sentencing set for January 29, 2026. Sonya’s family and civil-rights advocates call the verdict “partial justice” and are urging the judge to impose the maximum sentence, saying no prison term will replace the mother her children lost. Alongside the criminal case, Sangamon County agreed to a $10 million settlement with her family, and her killing has helped drive changes to police hiring standards, de-escalation training, and mental-health response in Illinois. For supporters who still chant her name at vigils, what happens at sentencing will signal how much the system truly values Sonya’s life. #SonyaMassey #SeanGrays