The Cop Charged With Sonya Massey's Murder Was Discharged From the Army for "Serious Misconduct"

In the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, a 36-year-old mother-of-two named Sonya Massey called the police to her home in Springfield, Ill., to investigate a potential prowler. The series of events that unfolded have shocked the nation, with body cam footage showing her being fatally shot in the head by one of the police officers as they stood in her house.

The police officer in question — Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson — was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct.

As news continues to come out about the case, reports have circulated about Grayson's past — specifically some concerning issues with his previous Army experience.

Per the AP, Grayson served in the U.S. Army from 2014 to 2016, during which time he worked on vehicle maintenance and recovery. He became a police officer in 2020, and he would go on to work for six agencies with a span of only four years.

Before he became a cop, he'd been charged in two separate DUI cases, reported KCUR.

According to reports, one of Grayson's previous law enforcement employers in Kansas noted on his file that he'd been discharged from the Army for "Misconduct (Serious Offense)."

University of Illinois professor and former Air Force prosecutor Anthony Ghiotto told KCUR that there are many reasons someone might be discharged from the Army for this kind of misconduct, but that it implies that the offense would be the equivalent of a crime that would lead to a minimum of a year in prison for a civilian.

"I'm very concerned about any law enforcement office hiring somebody who is discharged for serious offense misconduct with a general discharge," Ghiotto told the outlet. "I wouldn't hire a research assistant if they have that on their record, let alone a police officer."