In a case that’s gripped Illinois and drawn national attention, the murder trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson resumed in Peoria on Monday, October 27, 2025. The prosecution, now nearing the end of its presentation, has painted a harrowing portrait: Grayson, 31, is accused of fatally shooting 36-year-old Sonya Massey—an unarmed Black woman—inside her Springfield home in July 2024. The defense, meanwhile, continues to argue that Grayson acted in self-defense after Massey allegedly threatened him with a pot of boiling water.
The first week of testimony, which wrapped up on Friday, October 24, was anything but uneventful. Jurors were shown graphic body camera footage and heard from a slew of prosecution witnesses, including law enforcement experts and Massey’s own family. According to 25News Now and Capitol News Illinois, the trial’s move to Peoria was prompted by widespread publicity and public outcry in Springfield, where the shooting occurred.
At the center of the prosecution’s case is the argument that Grayson’s actions were not only unjustified but also a stark violation of accepted police practices. Seth Stoughton, a law professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law and a nationally recognized expert on police conduct, took the stand to deliver a damning assessment. He described Grayson’s conduct as “tactically unsound” and inconsistent with what’s considered best practice in law enforcement. “Conclusions are made from looking at the totality of circumstances in the incident, and how those led to the shooting of Massey,” Stoughton explained to the jury.
The defense, led by attorneys Mark Wykoff and Daniel Fultz, pushed back. Wykoff grilled Stoughton during cross-examination, questioning whether there’s any universally accepted standard for police behavior. “It is difficult to define best practices in this case,” Wykoff argued, as reported by 25News Now. But Stoughton held firm, emphasizing that while policies may differ, officers are always expected to assess the full context of a situation before resorting to deadly force.
Other police policy experts echoed Stoughton’s critique. They testified that Grayson’s behavior escalated the encounter and violated crisis intervention training protocols—procedures designed to defuse, not intensify, volatile situations. Defense attorneys countered that Grayson faced an immediate threat and acted in accordance with his training under the stress of the moment.
One of the most pivotal moments came when Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Dawson Farley, Grayson’s partner on the night of the shooting, took the stand for the prosecution. According to ABC News and Blavity, Farley testified, “She never did anything that made me think she was a threat.” Farley said he wanted to “do right” by Massey by testifying truthfully about what happened that night. His testimony was bolstered by the body camera footage from his own device, which captured much of the incident. Notably, Grayson’s body camera was not activated until after the shooting, a fact that’s raised eyebrows both inside and outside the courtroom.
The footage shown to jurors is chilling. It begins with Massey opening her door to the deputies, visibly anxious, and pleading, “Please, don’t hurt me.” Grayson responded, “I don’t want to hurt you; you called us.” Massey, who had summoned police to report a possible intruder, was seen removing a pot of boiling water from her stove. Grayson told her, “We don’t need a fire while we’re in here.” As Massey poured water into the sink, she said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson then threatened to shoot her. When Massey briefly emerged from behind a counter, Grayson fired three shots, striking her in the head.
Forensic Pathologist Dr. Nathaniel Patterson, who conducted the autopsy, confirmed that Massey’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. But he offered a haunting possibility: “Immediate medical care might have given her a chance to survive.” This point was especially painful for Massey’s family. Her cousin, Sontae Massey, told reporters, “Just knowing that my cousin could be here right now. It’s just, it’s just devastating. I mean, not only to me, obviously, but to my entire family. We want Sonya to be still here.”
Grayson’s legal team, led by Daniel Fultz, has maintained that their client genuinely feared for his life. “Ms. Massey made the decision to lift the pot of boiling water above her head to attempt to throw that at Dept. Grayson,” Fultz argued, according to ABC News. “It was at that moment and only at that moment that Dept. Grayson discharged his weapon.” Fultz urged jurors to keep an open mind: “Making your mind up early closes the possibility you will miss facts that will affect your decision.”
Yet, the Illinois State Police conducted their own investigation and determined that Grayson was not justified in using deadly force. Following this finding, Grayson was fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office in July 2024. Before the trial began, charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct against him were dismissed, leaving prosecutors to focus solely on the three counts of first-degree murder.
The trial’s emotional weight has been palpable both inside and outside the courthouse. Civil rights advocates and community members have gathered daily, demanding justice for Massey. The case has become a flashpoint in ongoing national debates about policing, race, and accountability. Many see echoes of other high-profile shootings involving law enforcement and unarmed Black citizens. Demonstrators have called for systemic reforms, while others—often law enforcement supporters—warn against rushing to judgment before all evidence is heard.
Crime scene technicians and the medical examiner spent two days meticulously walking jurors through autopsy photos and evidence collected from Massey’s home. The prosecution’s case has been thorough, but as the defense prepares to present its side—possibly calling Grayson himself to testify—many are bracing for further revelations and emotional testimony.
The trial is expected to conclude by the end of the week, with closing arguments likely to take place before October 31, 2025. The outcome is far from certain. What is clear, however, is that the proceedings have forced a community—and indeed, a nation—to confront difficult questions about police conduct, racial justice, and the value of a single human life.
As the trial resumes in downtown Peoria, all eyes remain fixed on the courthouse. The verdict, whatever it may be, will reverberate well beyond the city’s borders, shaping conversations about justice and accountability for years to come.
