Former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, had worked for six agencies since 2020 and had prior DUI convictions.

Grayson was fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office nearly two weeks after he shot Massey in her Springfield home. Massey had called 911 to report a suspected prowler. Grayson and another deputy responded just before 1 a.m. on July 6. Body camera footage shows Grayson shot her in the head after she refused to drop a pot of water and said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

Grayson’s employment history includes part-time roles at Pawnee, Kincaid, and Virden police departments, and full-time positions at Auburn Police Department and Logan and Sangamon County Sheriff’s Offices. He was fired from Kincaid for not living within a required radius. His records show no complaints or disciplinary actions at any of these agencies.

Sonya Massey converses with local police at the entrance of her Springfield, Ill., home on July 6.

Before law enforcement, Grayson was a wheeled vehicle mechanic in the U.S. Army from May 2014 to February 2016, leaving with the rank of private first class. Court records show he had two DUI convictions in 2015 and 2016, which were disclosed in his Auburn Police Department application.

Body camera footage reveals Grayson did not render aid to Massey after shooting her and discouraged his partner from doing so. Grayson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. He is detained without bond.

The Illinois State Police investigation concluded that Grayson “did not act as trained or in accordance with our standards,” leading to his firing. Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser stated the investigation, including body-worn camera footage, “does not support a finding that Deputy Sean Grayson was justified in his use of deadly force.”

The fatal shooting has drawn comments from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, with the Justice Department “assessing the circumstances” and tracking the criminal case.