Sean Grayson, a former deputy charged with murder for the shooting of Sonya Massey in Illinois, had faced disciplinary issues in his previous job. Records show that he had problems with inaccurate police reports, not following orders, and questions about his honesty while working at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office.
Grayson worked at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office for about a year before moving to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. He was fired from Sangamon County this month, nearly two weeks after he shot Massey in her home while responding to her call about a suspicious person.
The Logan County Sheriff’s Office and Auburn Police Department, where Grayson worked before Logan County, knew about his performance issues. It’s unclear if these departments shared their concerns with Sangamon County before Grayson was hired. Sangamon County has not released Grayson’s personnel files.
In a recorded meeting from November 9, 2022, Grayson was told by his superiors at Logan County that his report would not be approved due to inaccuracies and potential misconduct. They warned him about his lack of integrity and strict adherence to the law.
Grayson admitted that his previous cases were dropped due to issues with his reports. The meeting followed a high-speed chase that Grayson was involved in, which ended with him hitting a deer after ignoring orders to stop. This chase and his reporting of it violated department policies.
Grayson, who is 30, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct in Massey’s death. He is in jail without bond. His attorney has not commented.
Records show Grayson moved between six law enforcement agencies in central Illinois over four years, working at several small police departments and sheriff’s offices. Despite not having any formal complaints or disciplinary actions in the records provided by these departments, senior officers in Logan County had concerns about him.
In another meeting on November 9, 2022, Grayson was reminded about previous warnings regarding report accuracy and other issues. He was also treated for cancer and on light duty at that time.
Concerns about Grayson’s behavior were shared with Logan County before he was hired. The police chief from Auburn described Grayson as a “bragger” who was not careful with evidence and had problems with report writing but noted he was always on time and eager to learn.
Grayson, who is white, fatally shot Massey, who was Black, on July 6 in her Springfield home. An autopsy confirmed Massey died from a gunshot wound to the head. Grayson claimed he felt threatened by a pot of hot water Massey was moving, but prosecutors argue she had her hands up and apologized before he shot her.