PEORIA, Ill. — Former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson’s partner testified in Grayson’s first-degree murder trial in the 2024 shooting death of Sonya Massey, ABC News reported.
Grayson is charged with murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in the case. The trial was relocated from Sangamon County to Peoria County due to pretrial publicity.
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Body camera footage released by Illinois State Police shows Massey greeting Grayson and another deputy, Dawson Farley, when they arrived at her door. Massey tells the deputies, “Please, don’t hurt me.” Grayson responds, “I don’t want to hurt you; you called us.”
While Massey searched for her ID inside the home, Grayson referenced a pot of boiling water on her stove, saying, “We don’t need a fire while we’re in here.” Moments later, Massey is seen picking up the pot and saying, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson is then heard threatening to shoot her. Massey crouches behind a counter with what appears to be a red oven mitt over her face. As she briefly stands up, Grayson fires three shots. Massey was struck in the head and died at the scene.
Farley, who testified on Oct. 22, said Massey “never did anything that made me think she was a threat,” and described Grayson’s conduct as the reason his own concern escalated during the call. Farley testified that he wanted to “do right” by Massey in taking the stand for the prosecution, according to ABC News.
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During cross-examination, the defense noted that Farley was still a probationary deputy at the time of the shooting and asked him to confirm that he did not want to be terminated or face charges — questions he answered affirmatively, WCIA reported. The defense also pointed to a discrepancy in Farley’s initial report, which stated that Massey had added water to a pot before the shooting. Farley acknowledged clarifying that detail with investigators after Grayson was indicted, saying his original statement had been an assumption.
Prosecutors allege that Grayson discouraged Farley from retrieving medical supplies after the shooting.
“Nah, headshot, dude. She’s done... I’m not taking pot boiling water to the [expletive] face,” Grayson can be heard saying.
Grayson’s attorney, Daniel Fultz, told jurors during opening statements that Grayson acted out of fear for his life, claiming Massey raised the pot of boiling water as if to throw it.
“It was at that moment and only at that moment that Deputy Grayson discharged his weapon,” Fultz said. “What happened to Ms. Massey was a tragedy. But it was not a crime.”
Grayson was fired shortly after his indictment in July 2024. A review by the Illinois State Police concluded the shooting was not justified. The trial is expected to continue into next week.
