Sean Grayson, a former Sangamon County sheriff's deputy, has died at 32 years old, his attorney Daniel Fultz confirmed on Sunday. Grayson was serving a 20-year sentence for the second-degree murder of Sonya Massey.
Grayson was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2023, which had spread to his liver and lungs, as disclosed by his legal team in January. No cause of death was officially given.
In July, Grayson's request for medical release was denied by the Illinois prisoner review board. He had been six months into his sentence for the fatal shooting of Ms Massey on 6 July 2024, an incident captured on bodyworn camera footage.
The case led to protests and a US justice department review. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed the Sonya Massey Act, which mandates stricter background checks for law enforcement hires. Sangamon County officials also agreed to a $10m settlement for Ms Massey's family in early 2025.