Local Residents Hold Candlelight Vigil For Sonya Massey in Downtown Gainesville

Update | February 21, 2026: Sean Grayson was sentenced to 20 years in prison on a conviction of second degree murder in January 2026.

Gainesville residents held a candlelit vigil for Springfield, Illinois, resident Sonya Massey yesterday in front of City Hall. 

On July 6, 2024, Massey was shot and killed by Sangamon County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) Deputy Sean Grayson after she called SCSO and asked for help because she believed an intruder was in the area. 

Grayson was arrested and indicted on July 17, being charged with one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, one count of official misconduct, and three counts of first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. 

Grayson previously worked for the Virden Police Department (VPD), the Auburn Police Department (APD), and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). He was also previously employed with the Kincaid Police Department and the Pawnee Police Department. 

VPD Chief Steven Snodgrass said Grayson “did not demonstrate good officer safety skills” because “he was new to the job.” 

APD Chief Dave Campbell called Grayson a “great guy” but said he needed to improve his “report writing and documentation” and “needs more training.” 

A co-worker of Grayson at LCSO, Jerry Mayes, said Grayson was a “good deputy” but needed “more extensive training.”

On May 16, Grayson received a third-party complaint from a man on behalf of a 17-year-old girl because he yelled at her during an investigation. 

The complainant wrote that Grayson was threatening the girl that she would go to jail in handcuffs if she didn’t let him and other SCSO officers into the house. The complainant went on to write, “Grayson chose to speak to the young girl in an inappropriate manner when he was unaware of her or my relationship to the household, attempting to intimidate her and not myself as a grown man and legal adult.” 

Deputy Chief at SCSO Anthony Mayfeild wrote Grayson’s “actions were warranted” and “no formal investigation was conducted.” 

Grayson had been previously charged with drunk driving once in 2015 and again in 2016. 

Grayson served in the U.S. Army from 2014-2016. He was discharged generally under honorable circumstances after committing a “serious offense," records show.

SCSO police audio shows dispatchers affirming the gunshot wound was “self-inflicted.” In a statement, SCSO said, "The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office was not confused about whether the incident was self-inflicted. We are aware that the phrase 'self-inflicted' was used by radio dispatchers and others at certain times. Those on the scene knew the cause of death, and former Deputy Grayson clearly stated at least twice in the body cam video that he was the shooter."

According to an article by the Guardian, "'They tried to make me believe that a neighbor had did it,' said Jimmie Crawford Jr, Massey’s former partner and the father of one of her children, who added that law enforcement told nurses at the hospital that Massey had 'killed herself.' 'How do you get that confused?' said Crawford Jr."

Numerous attendees spoke in front of City Hall at the vigil. Kimberly Williams said, “When I think about Sonya Massey, I think about the loneliness that is Black womanhood. I just really hope that in whatever effort or organization you’re in, you’ll reflect the color you’re talking to and how you’re treating Black women or Black people. You can sort of prophesize and talk about it, but how are you actually reaching Black women? How are you actually holding space for them? How are you holding a kinship with them? Nobody cares about us and there is a continual effort of us being erased because we have to be a strong pillar of our community. I hope that in whatever organization you’re in, you think individually about how you are recruiting, retaining, and coming to Black people.”

The vigil for Massey was quiet and peaceful, however, some agitators in the outside area made verbal disruptions when the vigil attendees moved the memorial near the sidewalk across the street from Bo Diddley Plaza. 

One man screamed from his car, “Trump 2024 baby,” as he was driving by, and vigil attendees chanted, “Say her name—Sonya Massey” in response. 

As the vigil was wrapping up, a middle-aged man approached the group and angrily shouted, “There are still people who are slaves in this country every day, but you don’t get that.” 

The man was told by an attendee that the vigil wasn’t the “time or place." The man responded, “It is the place because you only want one side of it,” as he made a few steps toward the attendees. He was told “fuck off,” and he responded, “Fuck yourself.”  During the back-and-forth he made a raised clenched fist at the person and made a slight launching motion.

One attendee flipped the man’s hat off his head in response to him taking more steps after the fist motion. He motioned as if he were going to physically respond as another attendee stepped in and told him to get on his bike and go home. He got on his bike and left the area.  

SCSO Sheriff Jack Campbell announced the same day of the vigil that he would be stepping down from his position effective August 31.

Also on the same day of the vigil, Grayson‘s second motion for pretrial release was denied. 

On July 22, body-cam footage of Massey’s murder from the point of view of the killer’s partner was released to the public. Grayson did not turn on his body-cam footage until just before he shot Massey, but the other officer, Dawson Farley, had their body-cam on the whole time.  

Before the footage began, SCSO reminded viewers that the video of one of their deputies shooting and killing a woman “contains graphic content.” 

The footage begins showing Farley walking through backyards for a few minutes before finding a car with broken windows. He then knocks on the house door where the car was parked, and no response is initially received. After he knocks again, Grayson approaches, and he informs him of the broken car windows. Grayson knocked on the door a few times before Massey asked who they were, and Grayson responded, “Sheriff’s office.” 

Massey didn’t immediately come to the door, and after about 50 seconds, Grayson loudly asked, “Are you coming to the door or not?” Massey said she was, and Grayson said, “Hurry up.”  

After Massey opened the door, Grayson asked if the car was hers, and she said it wasn’t. Grayson said they checked the area, and there weren’t any intruders. Massey said, “Please God,” and said she wanted to see if the officers could help her. They asked what she needed help with, and Massey reiterated that she heard somebody outside. The officers said they didn’t see anyone again. 

Grayson asked Massey, “What took you so long to answer the door?” and she said she was getting changed. 

Grayson asked if there was “anything else they could do,” and Massey said there wasn’t. Grayson then asked if she was “doing alright mentally,” and she said she was. The officers then asked her about the car, and she said someone brought it to her driveway and left it. 

As Farley takes a few steps away, Grayson can be heard asking Massey if anyone lived with her and asking for her identification. Grayson proceeded to walk into the house and was followed Farley.  

Massey can be heard sitting on the couch and telling the dispatcher the officers had come inside before telling him to hold on and saying she had some paperwork. She then asked Grayson to grab her a nearby Bible, which he did while asking for her name. 

It appeared the vehicle was determined to be Massey's, and Grayson asked her about the damages before continuing to ask for her identification. She said she would show them paperwork, and the officers asked for her ID again.

Massey said she didn’t know where her ID was and stood up and said, “I don’t need this.” She picked up boiling water off a hot stove to move it to the counter.

Grayson questioned her as if Massey would throw the water at him but Massey was moving the pot to the counter and didn't appear to be paying close attention to him. She responded, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” as he began putting his hand on his gun’s holster. Grayson said, “You better fucking not... I’ll fucking shoot you right in your fucking face.”

Despite having ample opportunity for retreat, Grayson then pulled out his gun and said, “Drop the fucking pot,” while Massey ducked, saying, “I’m sorry.” It appears the pot was on the counter and she didn't pick it up until she had a gun to her.

As Massey was ducking, Farley pulled out his gun with Grayson and joined him in telling Massey to drop the pot. 

At this point Massey had two guns drawn to her while defensively ducking under the counter. Grayson began to approach her with his gun drawn saying "drop the fucking pot."

In a fight-or-flight reaction, Massey appeared to throw the pot but not until Grayson began stepping forward with his gun to her.

Massey put the pot above her head in a defensive position and as Grayson shouted “Drop” she released it from her hands at a trajectory where it appears to be already about half-way turned over in front of several objects on the counter when it left her hands, indicating the water likely wouldn't have hit or caused significant bodily harm to Grayson.

Grayson fired three shots and said “drop the fucking pot,” again. Farley said, “shots fired.”

The time between Massey ducking and her being shot was about three seconds.

Grayson told Massey to drop the pot once more, but she was already unconscious from a gunshot wound to the head. He called in dispatch and said, “There was a headshot wound to the female.”

Farley said he was going to get his kit. Grayson sarcastically said, "Headshot, dude, she’s done. You can go get it, but that’s a headshot.” 

Grayson can be seen staring at his victim and then saying, “I’ll go get my med kit.”

Farley said, "Yeah, go get your med kit.”  

Grayson said, “There’s not much more we can do.” 

Farley said, “We can at least try to stop the blood.”

The released footage blurs out Massey’s body, but it appears Farley began holding a towel to her head to stop the blood. 

As Grayson returned, Farley noted Massey was “still gasping a little bit.” 

When Grayson reentered the home, he asked if there was anything that could be done and was told there wasn’t. He then said he’s “not even gonna waste his med stuff then.”

At this point, it appears a third officer entered the residence and asked what happened. Grayson said, “House is cleared. She was the only one.”

The third officer asked where the gun was, and Grayson said, "No, she had boiling water and came after me.” 

The third officer asked, “You shot her?” 

Grayson responded, “She said she was gonna rebuke me in the name of Jesus and came at me with boiling water. That’s what all this is.”

The third officer responded, “Alright.”

Farley then asked if he should still hold the pressure and was told to do so. He said Massey was “still gasping.”

After a few minutes, EMS arrived and asked where she was hit. Farley said, “I think in the eye.” 

After a few more minutes, Farley said he “couldn’t feel an exit wound.”

After a few more minutes, they began to take Massey out of the house, and Farley left and began walking towards his patrol car. 

When Farley gets to his car, he opens his trunk and opens a crate with Clorox wipes in it. He began breathing heavily while cursing to himself and started wiping his hands with the Clorox wipes. Another unit of officers walked by and asked if he was good, and he said he was. 

When Grayson approaches, Farley says, “What’s up, buddy?” and Grayson asks if he was good and tells him to turn his body camera off. Farley said he was alright and turned his bodycam off. 

The next set of footage shows Grayson’s point of view, beginning immediately before he killed Massey. 

When Grayson went outside to get his med kit he loudly cursed to himself.

A responding officer asked Grayson where Massey was, and he said the kitchen. One asked if they were scared. Grayson said they were. The officer asked if they needed cover, and Grayson responded that it was just Massey in the house. 

When Grayson exited the house again, he was asked if he knew what happened, and he responded, "Yeah, I’m good; this fuckin’ bitch is crazy.” 

Grayson then got crime scene tape out of a nearby patrol car and placed it around the house where he committed the crimes. 

Grayson went on to tell officers, “It fuckin’ happened so goddamn quick, and we didn’t have time to call shit; it was just me and dipshit.” He told another officer he “had no choice.” Grayson then says he’s going to “go chill in [his] car for a minute.” Shortly after, he turned off his body camera. 

Massey’s father, James Willburn, said in a press conference that he demands a change in the law to prohibit police officers from going to another police department after resigning in lieu of being fired. He said, “Introduce the bill tomorrow, that when you [resign] in lieu of being fired from a police department, you don’t go on to the next one. You can call it the Sonya Massey bill.”

Edited February 21, 2026: The original version of this article referred to Grayson saying the gunshot wound was self inflicted but this was edited to reflect the police department's official stance on the matter reflected with statements from the family. Photo captions were added.

Correction Feb 22, 2026: Reported Grayson was "honorably discharged" from the military when in fact he was discharged generally under honorable circumstances. It was also reported that information on Grayson's partner could not be found at the time of release but Farley was actually identified in late July 2024. Some edits were made to the body-camera analysis after a re-review but the core narrative remains unchanged.