Venezuelan Accused of Murder Faces New Jail Charge

An individual from Venezuela, charged with the March killing of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman, was found with a weapon in custody, according to police.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office reported that Cook County Jail staff discovered a 6-inch shank in Jose Medina’s possession around 8 a.m. last Thursday. Correctional officers conducted a search and found a sharpened piece of metal with a handle made from medical tape in his pants pocket.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved a new felony charge of possession of contraband in a penal institution against Medina the following day.

Medina, who is in custody since March 23, faces charges for the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman at Tobey Prinz Beach in Rogers Park on March 19. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges and is set for a court date on June 1.

Gorman was shot while walking with friends near Tobey Prinz Beach, less than a mile from Loyola University’s campus, around 1 a.m. on March 19.

While at a Rogers Park pier, Gorman noticed Medina near a lighthouse. She returned to her friends, mouthing that there was a man behind the lighthouse, according to prosecutors. Medina then allegedly pursued them.

As Gorman and her friends tried to flee, Medina shot her in the upper back. Her friends continued running until they found a place to hide. Upon returning to check on Gorman, they found her unresponsive.

According to an arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital, Medina appeared on video in the lobby of his apartment building after the shooting, without a mask. A building engineer identified him by his distinctive limp and gait.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Jose Medina, a Venezuelan national, had been arrested for shoplifting and released prior to the alleged murder. Medina was apprehended at the southern border in 2023, identified as a flight risk by officials, and did not possess a valid asylum claim before being admitted to the U.S. under the Biden administration that year.

Records show that he lacked a valid U.S. address, identification, or a verifiable point of contact.