The Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted 3-0 on Friday to deny Sean Grayson medical release in the Sonya Massey case. He will remain in custody after asking for early release because he has stage 4 colon cancer.
The board’s decision leaves in place the prison term Grayson received in January after his October conviction for second-degree murder in the fatal 2024 shooting of Sonya Massey. She was 36 when she was killed in Springfield, Illinois.
Illinois Prisoner Review Board
A spokesperson for the Illinois Prisoner Review Board said, “I am writing to confirm that the Board voted 3-0 to deny Sean Grayson's medical release application.” The same spokesperson said, “He will remain in custody.”
The board’s ruling gives Grayson no immediate path out of custody under this request. It also leaves any future effort on him to start over with another application, since the denial does not end the issue forever.
Sangamon County State's Attorney's office
The Sangamon County State's Attorney's office opposed Grayson’s release, saying he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer before the shooting and that his temper could pose a risk to the public. That objection tied the medical request to the same public-safety concerns that followed the case from the start.
Grayson fatally shot Sonya Massey in July 2024 after she called 911 to report a possible intruder at her home in Springfield, Illinois. Body camera footage showed Grayson inside the home, telling her to “walk away from your hot steaming water” before he shot her three times.
Donna Massey
Sonya Massey’s family said the denial was necessary. Donna Massey said, “I don't think I've seen one day since the day she died that I haven't cried.” She added, “I've never been depressed before. Now, I'm depressed all the time, especially when they keep dragging us through the mud.”
Sontae Massey said, “We'll take these small victories, but we know we've got an uphill battle ahead of us because he can turn around and he can apply again and again and again. I think that he will not stop until he is out.” He also said, “We have to make sure that he is denied each and every time.”
For the family, Friday’s vote keeps Grayson in prison for now and shifts the fight to any new filing he chooses to make. Their next task is to respond again if he renews the request, because the board has already shown it will not grant release on this record.
