The Death of Sonya Massey: A Tragic Reminder That Justice Still Eludes Black Lives
In 2020, the world watched as the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement surged in response to the brutal killing of George Floyd. Streets were filled with protests, corporations pledged support, and calls for police reform dominated the discourse. Yet, only a few years later, the momentum has largely disappeared — while the crisis of police brutality still persists. The death of Sonya Massey is yet another devastating reminder that the demands for justice and accountability remain unfulfilled.
Who Was Sonya Massey?
Sonya Massey was a 36-year-old woman, a proud mother of two, and a respected member of her community in Woodside Township, Illinois. On July 6th 2024, she made a call to 911, fearing there was an intruder near her home. What should have been a routine welfare check turned into a horrifying tragedy when she was shot and killed by a responding sheriff’s deputy. Her crime? Holding a pot of boiling water in her own home.
A Disturbing Pattern of Violence
According to body camera footage, Massey was cooperative when deputies arrived. After failing to find an intruder, the officers entered her home and requested identification. In a moment that should have de-escalated, one deputy asked her to turn off a pot of boiling water. When she lifted the pot, she reportedly said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Deputy Grayson, misinterpreting this as an intimidating remark, pulled his weapon and shot Massey three times in the head.
The killing was swift, unnecessary, and horrific. This was not a case of self-defence or a high-risk confrontation. It was the reckless and unjustifiable decision of an officer who saw a lone woman not as someone in need of help, but as a threat.
A System That Protects Police, Not People
The response to Massey’s killing followed a familiar script: public outrage, media coverage, and promises of an investigation. But nowhere near as much attention as the global media used to reserve for these sorts of tragedies.
Deputy Grayson was eventually fired and charged with 3 counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. But history has shown that even when officers are charged, convictions are rare, and accountability is fleeting.
While Massey’s family received a $10 million settlement in February 2025 — around the time of what would have been her 37th birthday — money cannot replace justice. It cannot bring back a mother to her children, nor does it hold the system accountable. Settlements allow governments to pay off victims’ families without enacting real change, while police departments continue operating under the same conditions that led to these deaths in the first place.
The Silence After BLM
The Black Lives Matter movement once forced the world to pay attention. But in the years since, mainstream attention has waned. Police budgets have increased rather than decreased. Calls for reform have been ignored. The killings have not stopped—only the outrage has. The death of Sonya Massey should be front-page news, yet outside of a few headlines and activist circles, the story is already fading.
Why We Must Keep Fighting
Sonya Massey’s death is not just another name on a growing list, it marks a turning point. Unlike past cases where people tried to distort the narrative, such as with the case of George Floyd by pointing to his past or calling him a criminal, there is no such grey area here. The footage of Sonya’s final moments is clear, brutal, and irrefutable. There is no debate. Her killing lays bare the unchecked violence of a system that continues to dehumanize Black lives.
This cannot be met with momentary outrage. It demands sustained resistance. Justice must go beyond payouts and empty promises - it must mean accountability, policy overhauls, and a commitment to dismantling the structures that make this violence possible.
The fight for justice didn’t end in 2020. The names are still being added. The violence hasn’t stopped. If we truly believe that Black lives matter, we cannot let Sonya Massey’s death fade into the background. We must demand real, lasting change.
The world may have moved on, but we still matter as much as we did in 2020.
Case Updates
Former Deputy Grayson remains in jail whilst he awaits trial.
In December 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court rightfully denied his request for pre-trial release.
