DANIELSON, Conn. – A convicted rapist faced murder and attempted sexual assault charges on Friday in the death of a visiting nurse at a Connecticut halfway house for sex offenders in October. The woman’s tragic killing has sparked discussions on the need for improved safety measures for home health care workers in the state.
Michael Reese, 39, had the new charges brought against him as he appeared in court for a separate case involving larceny and drug paraphernalia. Authorities arrested him as he was leaving the Willimantic halfway house on the day that nurse Joyce Grayson was discovered dead in the basement on Oct. 28, with some of her belongings found on him.
Grayson, a 63-year-old nurse with 36 years of experience and a mother of six, had gone to the halfway house to provide medication to Reese. Concerns arose when she missed subsequent appointments, leading to a police response at the facility.
Reese now faces charges of murder, felony murder, and attempted first-degree sexual assault. Details regarding the allegations were not immediately released.
Grayson’s family shared that she had worked as a nurse for the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for 26 years before transitioning to become a visiting nurse for over a decade. In addition to her nursing career, Grayson was a foster parent to nearly three dozen children and was recognized as the state’s Foster Parent of the Year in 2017.
Following Grayson’s tragic death, lawmakers at both the state and federal levels have begun to push for measures to enhance the safety of health care workers, aiming to prevent future violence against those in the field.
Reese had been on probation after serving more than 14 years in prison for a violent assault in 2006 and was released in late 2020. State records indicate that he had multiple probation violations, leading to two instances of returning to detention before his most recent arrest.
The judge set bail at $2 million for Reese on the new charges, with him remaining in custody since his arrest. A court date for further proceedings has been scheduled for June 7.