A high-profile Illinois murder case is now with the jury. Former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson is on trial for the shooting death of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman who called 911 for help in July 2024. After days of testimony, jurors began deliberations on October 28, 2025, with no verdict reached yet.
The case has drawn national attention for its stark timeline: a woman reporting a prowler at her Springfield home, a rapid escalation inside her kitchen, and three fatal shots fired by an officer who had answered her call.
What Happened In The Springfield Shooting
According to CBS News and court testimony, officers, including Grayson, responded to Massey’s Springfield residence after she reported a prowler. While officers were inside, Massey moved toward a pot of water on the stove. She said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” as officers drew their weapons and ordered her to drop the pot, per reports introduced at trial.
Grayson fired three times, fatally wounding Massey. On the stand, the former deputy testified that he feared Massey intended to throw boiling water at him and said he perceived an immediate threat. He also acknowledged his body camera was not activated before entering the home; he testified that he turned it on after he began questioning Massey.
“I saw the bottom of the pot was turning red, so it seemed very hot,” Grayson said in court, per CBS News. He added that when Massey picked up the pot and walked toward him, he “wasn’t quite sure what she was going to do.” He also testified that he interpreted Massey asking, “Where are you going?” as a threat.
Grayson told jurors he carried a Taser but chose to fire his gun because he believed the device might not be effective. “She was wearing layers and both prongs have to stick in for the Taser to work,” he said, adding, “We were trained to use force that’s going to gain compliance.”
Mental Health Context And Prior 911 Calls
In the weeks and days leading up to the shooting, Massey struggled with mental health issues, according to CNN. The outlet reported that she had recently checked herself into a 30-day inpatient program in St. Louis, but returned home two days later.
County records cited by CNN indicate that three separate 911 calls were made by Massey or on her behalf in the days before her death. In one call, her mother, Donna Massey, told a dispatcher her daughter was experiencing a “mental breakdown” and made a heartfelt plea: “I don’t want you guys to hurt her.”
This context has weighed heavily over the courtroom narrative, framing the July 2024 incident not only as a police-response case but as one intersecting with mental health and crisis intervention—issues that have become central to national conversations about policing.
Charges Against Grayson And Where The Trial Stands
Grayson was arrested 11 days after the shooting and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, per CNN. He was subsequently fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department.
Following his arrest, renewed scrutiny fell on his professional history. CNN reports that Grayson was ejected from the Army in his 20s after a DUI arrest during which a weapon was found in his vehicle; he later received a second DUI conviction within a year. Prior to joining the Sangamon department, he cycled through four policing jobs in six years. While there is no indication he was terminated from those roles, past evaluations referenced by CNN described him as a hard worker who struggled with report writing—details the defense and prosecution have both navigated to shape the jury’s view of his judgment and training.
Inside the courtroom, the focus has remained on the minutes before the shooting. Grayson testified on October 27, 2025, that when he arrived at the home, he noticed a broken window and that it took roughly four minutes for Massey to answer the door—factors that heightened his concern. He told the court he believed she might be under the influence of a substance and described her demeanor as “scatterbrained,” according to CBS News.
The defense has anchored its case to Grayson’s perception of imminent danger and department training, while prosecutors have emphasized Massey’s lack of a firearm and the split-second decision to use lethal force. Jurors began deliberations on October 28, 2025, one day after Grayson testified, and as of publication a verdict has not been announced.
The outcome will determine whether the jury found the former deputy’s use of force justified under the circumstances presented at trial—or whether the shooting of a woman who called 911 for help meets the state’s threshold for first-degree murder. For now, Springfield waits, and so does the wider audience paying attention to a case that sits at the intersection of policing, accountability, and mental health response.
