"We got partial justice" - Sonya Massey's father reacts to former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson's conviction in his daughter's murder

36-year-old Sonya Massey was shot dead at her own residence in Illinois on July 6, 2024. The officer who opened fire was Sean Grayson, a former sheriff's deputy. While Grayson was initially charged with first-degree murder, the jury was allowed to convict him of second-degree murder.

The jury began deliberating on Tuesday, and by Wednesday, they reached a guilty verdict. Meanwhile, Sonya's father, James Wilburn, said that while the verdict gave them closure, he didn't believe that it was full justice. Wilburn said,

"We got partial justice. We didn't get complete justice. That's what we wanted."

James Wilburn further mentioned that Sonya's tragic death had a strong impact on communities beyond Illinois. He continued,

"It was like you throw a rock into a pond and the waves go out — that's how it went out from my family to my friends to my Elk family to my Jefferson County family. I think this hurt all around the world."

Wilburn further pointed out that while Grayson's family could still visit him in prison, the Wilburns would have to live with the memories of Sonya. He further said that Sonya Massey will never be forgotten in his hometown and even called her "everybody's daughter in Jefferson County."

Exploring more about the Sonya Massey trial and Sean Grayson's conviction

On Thursday, Dr. Nathaniel Patterson, a forensic pathologist with the Sangamon County Coroner's office, gave a testimony in the case against Sean Grayson. According to Dr. Patterson, Sonya could have been saved if she had been given first aid and medical attention immediately after the shooting.

However, Patterson also clarified that there were chances of people dying in such cases, even after being administered medical aid. Expert witness Louis Dekmar, a retired police chief from LaGrange, Georgia, testified that he did not notice any suspicious behavior on Sonya's end that could prompt Grayson to point a gun at her.

For the unversed, Sonya Massey was shot to death after she called 911 reporting a suspected intruder on her property. According to Grayson, he opened fire because he thought that Sonya was about to throw a pot of boiling water at him. In the footage capturing the harrowing incident, Grayson could be seen talking about a pot with boiling water on the stove.

Shortly after, Sonya walked towards the stove to take the pot off it. At one point in the footage, Sonya and Sean are seen to be laughing at the pot of boiling water. Sonya Massey then went about saying,

"I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."

After she said it twice, Sean then warned Sonya that he would shoot her. She could be heard apologizing to the officer at the time. Meanwhile, Sean Grayson ended up opening fire at Sonya and struck her in the face. Afterwards, when another officer went to get a first aid kit, Grayson said that it was a "headshot" and Sonya was "done." 

During the trial, Sean Grayson said that he felt Sonya Massey was going to thrown the boiling water at her. The sentencing of Sean Grayson is yet to take place.