Illinois Archives

Illinois Judge Fatally Shot by Wife in Front of Family Home, Leaves Community in Mourning

Albion, IL — In a shocking incident that has rattled a quiet Illinois community, a local circuit court judge was found deceased outside his home earlier this week, leading to the arrest of his wife on charges including first-degree murder. The victim, identified as Judge Michael J. Valentine of the Illinois Second Judicial Circuit Court, was discovered fatally shot during a wellness check outside his residence in Albion on November 5. Judge Valentine, 43, had …

Illinois Community Demands Justice and Reform Following a Pattern of Misconduct in Local Sheriff’s Office

Springfield, Illinois — Late in the night of July 6, Sonya Massey, experiencing a severe mental health crisis, called 911 to report a prowler. That call ended tragically when, minutes after welcoming Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson into her home, she was fatally shot by him. This incident, initially deemed an anomaly by local authorities, has forced a deeper examination into the conduct of the county’s law enforcement practices. Less than two weeks following the …

Prosecutors Issue Stark Warning of Potential Future Capitol Attacks in Sentencing Memo for Illinois Rioter

Chicago — In a significant development linked to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Illinois resident Thomas B. Adams Jr. faces further sentencing following previous legal maneuvers that saw his initial conviction on obstruction charges overturned by the Supreme Court. Originally sentenced in early 2021, Adams had been released after serving just five months of a 14-month sentence, pending appeal. His sentencing has now been rescheduled to November 7, immediately following the presidential election. Federal …

Prosecutors Issue Stark Warning of Potential Repeat Capitol Attack as Illinois Man’s Resentencing Delayed to Post-Election

Washington, D.C. – Federal prosecutors have issued a stark warning of a potential repeat attack on U.S. democracy, echoed in their sentencing memorandum for Illinois resident Thomas B. Adams Jr., who participated in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. The sentencing for Adams, originally set for this week, has been postponed to November 7, strategically after the presidential election. Adams, from Springfield, Illinois, was among the mob that forcibly entered the Capitol, breaching security through …

Heroic Illinois Resident Returns Fire to Thwart Fatal Drive-By Shooting on Local Porch

Rockford, IL — Tensions in a Rockford neighborhood escalated into violence last weekend when a drive-by shooting tragically claimed the life of a woman who was sitting on her porch. The episode took a dramatic turn as a passerby, who is a licensed concealed carry (CCL) holder, responded by firing at the fleeing assailants. Local police reported that the incident occurred in the early evening hours and confirmed that the victim was an innocent bystander, …

Illinois Sheriff Admits Department’s Failure in Tragic Police Shooting of Sonya Massey

Springfield, IL – In a stark admission of failure, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell publicly acknowledged his department’s shortcomings in the tragic incident involving the death of Sonya Massey, a local woman fatally shot by a former deputy after she reported a possible home intrusion. Earlier this month, Sonya Massey, a resident of Springfield, was shot and killed by ex-deputy Sean Grayson, whom she had called upon suspecting someone had illegally entered her home. This …

Illinois Deputy Faces Murder Charges After Fatal Shooting of Sonya Massey in Her Home

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, died from a gunshot wound to the head after an encounter with a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy in her own home earlier this month, an autopsy report has confirmed. The deputy, identified as Sean Grayson, 30, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting. The coroner’s autopsy detailed that the bullet entered below Massey’s left eye, perforating a carotid artery and exiting her …

Tragic Encounter: Illinois Officer Charged with Murder after Shooting Woman in Her Home

SPRINGfield, Ill. — In a tragic incident captured on body camera footage, a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy shot Sonya Massey, 36, inside her own home, resulting in her death. The footage, which became public following an indictment by an Illinois grand jury, reveals the critical moments before Massey was fatally shot, after having apparently posed no clear threat. Sean Grayson, the deputy involved in the July 6 incident, is facing charges of first-degree murder, …

Illinois Deputy Faces Charges in Fatal Shooting Over Domestic Dispute Involving Hot Water

Chicago, IL – A shocking incident involving an Illinois deputy sheriff and a fatal shooting over a seemingly trivial household matter has left a community in disbelief. The incident, which occurred in the small town of Waukegan, has sparked intense debate over law enforcement protocol and intervention in domestic disputes. According to official reports from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the confrontation that led to the death of Sonya Massey, 47, began over a dispute …

Illinois Deputy Dismissed and Faces Murder Charges After Fatal Incident Involving Black Woman in Her Home

Waukegan, Illinois — A former sheriff’s deputy in Lake County, Illinois, has been terminated and charged with murder following the shooting death of a Black woman in her own home. The incident, which occurred last week, has escalated tensions and drawn scrutiny over the use of lethal force by law enforcement. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office confirmed that the deputy, who had been with the force for five years, is facing first-degree murder charges. …