Court Update on Loyola University Student Murder Case

Jose Medina-Medina, accused of murdering Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman, attended a recent court session from a hospital bed following a seizure. As a Venezuelan national, Medina faces charges related to Gorman’s death but could not attend the Cook County court hearing in person. He participated remotely via Zoom from a hospital where he was admitted post-seizure.

The judge emphasized the requirement for Medina to be physically present at the next court hearing, provided his health permits. Defense attorneys have consistently claimed that Medina suffers from ongoing health issues, including seizures, linked to a 2018 shooting incident in Colombia, where he was reportedly shot in the head.

The defense is awaiting more information on Medina’s medical status before filing further pretrial motions.

Prosecutors highlighted ongoing progress in the murder case, noting they have shared key evidence with the defense. This includes most DNA tests conducted on a firearm recovered at the crime scene. Additional trace evidence analysis is still in progress, and further DNA testing may be considered based on those outcomes.

Prosecutors are also advancing a case against Medina for allegedly possessing a homemade weapon while in jail. They await more evidence, including subpoenaed body-camera footage and hospital surveillance tapes, to support this case. The next status hearing is scheduled for September 3.

Gorman’s family did not attend the recent hearing. Instead, family members, Madelon, Jess, and Tom Gorman, shared their thoughts on “The Story,” discussing Sheridan Gorman’s untimely death.

Medina has been detained since his arrest in March and maintains a plea of not guilty to the murder charges. Gorman, only 18, was shot in March while walking near Tobey Prinz Beach in Chicago’s Rogers Park. Authorities assert that Medina initiated the shooting that led to her death.