Sean Grayson, a fired deputy who has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey in Illinois, had been reprimanded in a previous job over inaccuracies in his police reports, failure to follow orders, and a perceived lack of integrity according to a disciplinary file. The records indicate that both the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, where he worked for about a year, and the Auburn Police Department, where he worked from July 2021 to May 2022, had been aware of these issues with his performance. There are concerns about whether these previous departments shared any concerns with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office before Grayson was hired. A recorded conversation from November 9, 2022, showed Grayson being reprimanded for submitting inaccurate reports that could be perceived as official misconduct.
The conversation came after Grayson was involved in a high-speed chase that violated department policy and ended with him striking a deer with his squad car after ignoring a supervisor’s order to stop the chase. This incident, along with the conversation with his superiors, highlighted concerns about Grayson’s job performance. Despite being reprimanded multiple times and two complaints filed against him, Grayson was allowed to leave the Logan County Sheriff’s Office in “good standing.” Concerns about his behavior had been shared with the Logan County Sheriff’s Office before he was hired, indicating a pattern of performance issues.
Grayson, who has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct in Massey’s death, had moved among six law enforcement agencies in central Illinois in four years. While records from these departments do not show any complaints or disciplinary actions against him, it is apparent that senior officers in Logan County had concerns about Grayson’s performance. He was warned about issues with the accuracy of his reports and respecting the chain of command. Campbell, the police chief in Auburn, where Grayson previously worked, had expressed concerns about his behavior, noting that he was a “bragger” and was not great with evidence.
In the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey on July 6, Grayson claimed he felt threatened by a pot of hot water that Massey was moving from her stove. However, prosecutors stated in court documents that there was a counter between them providing him distance and cover from the water, and that Massey had put her hands up and said “I’m sorry” before he shot her. Massey, who was Black, died from a gunshot wound to the head, while Grayson, who is white, has been charged with murder. Grayson has a history of moving between different law enforcement agencies in central Illinois, and concerns about his job performance had been shared with previous departments before he was hired.
Despite reprimands and complaints filed against him, Grayson was allowed to leave his previous jobs in “good standing.” Concerns about his performance came to light during a recorded conversation in November 2022 where he was reprimanded for inaccuracies in his reports and failure to follow orders. Grayson had pleaded not guilty to the charges related to Massey’s death, and the case has raised questions about his job performance prior to joining the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. The Auburn Police Department, where he worked before being hired by Logan County, had expressed concerns about his behavior, noting that he was a “bragger” and not great with evidence, among other issues. The fatal shooting of Massey has drawn national attention and highlighted the need for accountability and oversight in law enforcement agencies.
