By BETH HUNDSODRFER
Capitol News Illinois
bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com
The trial of a former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy accused of the murder of an unarmed Black woman in 2024 will be moved 85 miles north to Peoria County.
A Sangamon County judge granted a motion Tuesday for a change of venue without an objection from prosecutors.
Former deputy Sean Grayson faces trial on three counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in connection with the shooting death of Sonya Massey.
Massey called police on July 6 to report a prowler outside her home. Grayson, who is white, shot an unarmed Massey in her kitchen.
Massey threatened the deputy with a pot of boiling water, but was not near the deputy, according to news reports. Massey was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of her death, according to a family spokesperson.
Massey’s death raised questions about the hiring practices at Sangamon County, eventually leading to a U.S. Justice Department investigation.
The case drew national media attention. A civil wrongful death case was settled in February for $10 million to Massey’s estate.
On Monday, the judge denied a motion requesting cameras in the courtroom for the trial.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
