Sean Grayson, officer who shot Sonya Massey, also violated order to stop high-speed chase in earlier job
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Questions have been swirling about why now-fired Sangamon County, Illinois Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson—now charged with murder in the shooting that killed Sonya Massey earlier this month—was hired by law enforcement agencies multiple times.
One of the incidents in which Grayson is accused of having trouble obeying orders happened during his fifth police job, with the Logan County Sheriff's office—where he worked from May 2022 to April 2023. Grayson refused an order by a superior to terminate a high-speed chase on Illinois 121 over a traffic infraction, in which his speed at times reached 110 mph.
Grayson told his superiors he was about to terminate the pursuit. But he did not stop.
He did, however, turn his lights and siren off—while keeping going anyway until he hit a deer.
Grayson was questioned by a chief and other top staff after that crash in Logan County—where Lincoln, Illinois is the county seat. He later admitted to violating a direct order from a supervisor about the termination.
Grayson was also asked by the top staff if he agreed that there was a "mountain of public policy violations" in place against him. When asked how he was still employed by the Logan County Sheriff's office after seven months, Grayson said he did not know.
Yet he continued to get a pass over and over again.
Even before Grayson was hired by Logan County, there were warnings from another past employer—the Auburn Police Department—where Grayson worked in 2022.
CBS News obtained notes from the Auburn police chief to a representative in Logan County about Grayson's prospective employment there. The notes state Grayson "struggles with report writing", Grayson was "very aggressive with getting drugs."
The chief "expressed concern" that Grayson "was too aggressive," and that Grayson "posted his drug arrests on Facebook," and the chief called him a "bragger" and he was not "great with evidence left items laying around office."
Despite that reference, Grayson's discharge for misconduct during his military services, his two past DUI convictions, and other disciplinary incidents in his six law enforcement jobs, Grayson still got jobs in Logan and then Sangamon County—where he was entrusted to help residents in need, like Massey.
"The whole thing makes me sick," said Sangamon County Board Commissioner Marc Ayers, who sits on the jail committee that authorizes the hiring of sheriff's deputies.
Ayers said he was never informed of any negative notes about Grayson prior to hire and his background was not shared with the committee. He said his committee only approves salaries, and does not review their backgrounds.
"I would never bring one someone who that trouble past or record—ever," Ayers said.
Ayers said he wants a review of all current Sangamon County deputies to ensure no red flags were missed in their backgrounds.
Early on the morning of Saturday, July 6, Grayson and another Sangamon County deputy responded to Massey at her house near Springfield—where she was home alone and concerned about a possible prowler.
Massey's family continues to seek answers following the release of bodycam footage showing Grayson shot her in the head as she crouched down in her kitchen—after he ordered her to drop a pot of water that had been on the stove. Grayson was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
Grayson has pleaded not guilty.