Sean Grayson’s trial is underway as he faces murder charges for fatally shooting a Black woman in her own home after she called 911 for help.
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old single mother of two teenagers, called emergency responders on July 6, 2024, over a suspected prowler at her property in Springfield, Illinois. Grayson, a Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy at the time, responded to the scene with his partner. Body camera footage shows Grayson firing at Massey after confronting her over a pot of hot water.
Audio of Massey’s 911 call was played in court after Sangamon County dispatcher Kathryn Barton testified.
“It sounded like there was someone outside the residence making noise on the side of the house,” Barton said in court, according to local outlet WICS.
Earlier, Illinois State Police investigator Eric Weston testified that he reviewed the officers’ body camera footage and told Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser about the incident.
Grayson, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. If convicted, he faces a sentence of 45 years to life in prison. A judge agreed Tuesday to drop counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
Recap: Sonya Massey killed in her own home after calling 911
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old mother of two teenagers, was fatally shot in her home by a police officer last year after she called 911 over a suspected prowler at her Springfield, Illinois, home.
Sean Grayson and another deputy with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department responded to the call. Following a confrontation about a pot of hot water Massey was holding, Grayson fired three shots at her.
Grayson was fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department and later charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct. However, the judge has since dropped the battery and misconduct charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
Opening statements in Grayson’s trial set to begin on Wednesday morning. The jury consists of 10 women and five men, and the trial is expected to last a week and a half.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 14:46
Court breaks for lunch
The court is now on a lunch break. Testimony is set to resume at 1 p.m. local time.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 17:16
911 call played in court
Kathryn Barton, a Sangamon County dispatcher, is testifying in court.
Massey called 911 to report a suspected prowler the night she was killed.
“It sounded like there was someone outside the residence making noise on the side of the house,” Barton testified, according to WICS.
The audio of Massey’s 911 call was then played in court.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 17:14
County dispatcher called to stand
Prosecutors have called Kathryn Barton, a Sangamon County dispatcher, to the stand.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 17:01
Court in recess
Illinois State Police investigator Eric Weston has finished testifying.
The court is now on a short break as prosecutors prepare to call a second witness.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 16:54
Illinois State Police investigator describes Sean Grayson’s training
Illinois State Police investigator Eric Weston testified that Sean Grayson took a Crisis Intervention Training course in 2023, WICS reports.
He noted that Grayson worked in six different departments between 2020 and 2024.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 16:40
Illinois State Police investigator cross-examined
Defense attorney Mark Wykoff is now cross-examining Illinois State Police investigator Eric Weston.
Wykoff noted that Weston wasn’t present for the whole investigation, but rather supervised it, WICS reports.
Prosecutor John Milhiser also objected to one of Wykoff’s questions about Weston forming assumptions about the incident based on the body camera footage. Wykoff rephrased, and the initial question was struck from the record, according to WICS.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 16:37
State police investigator describes chaotic scene in aftermath of shooting
Illinois State Police investigator Eric Weston described the immediate aftermath of Sean Grayson shooting Sonya Massey.
Weston said he arrived at Massey’s home around 3 a.m. He testified that “not a lot was known,” but was told an officer fired his gun after a pot of water was thrown at him, according to WAND News.
Weston explained that the officers involved were required to take blood and urine tests, as well as turn over their body cameras.
The subsequent investigation was “all hands on deck,” Weston said.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 16:19
State investigator recounts watching body camera footage
Illinois State Police investigator Eric Weston told the court he reviewed the body camera footage from Sean Grayson and his partner, Deputy Dawson Farley, shortly after the shooting.
Weston testified that, after watching the footage, he couldn’t immediately determine whether Grayson was justified in firing at Sonya Massey, WICS reports. Weston said he then told Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser about the incident.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 16:05
First witness called
Prosecutors have called Illinois State Police investigator Eric Weston to the stand.
Weston testified that he’s supervised investigations into more than a dozen officer-involved shootings, local outlet WICS reports.
Katie Hawkinson22 October 2025 15:52
