Overview
- Michael Reese, a 40-year-old convicted sex offender, accepted a plea deal and received a 50-year prison sentence with no possibility of parole for the 2023 killing of 63-year-old visiting nurse Joyce Grayson.
- Authorities found Grayson’s body in a padlocked basement in Willimantic and discovered her cell phone submerged in liquid in a bathtub, with investigators ruling her death a homicide by neck compression.
- Reese faced charges of murder, felony murder, and attempted sexual assault and had been held on a $2 million bond before his guilty plea.
- Grayson’s death prompted community vigils and widespread calls from healthcare workers for enhanced protections during home visits.
- Under legislation passed after Grayson’s death, employers can apply for state-funded security grants and must notify the Connecticut Department of Public Health of any threats or assaults on healthcare staff.