Share and Follow
The suspect accused of murdering a Loyola University Chicago student is scheduled to appear in court for the first time, following a delay due to his treatment for tuberculosis.
Authorities allege that 25-year-old Jose Medina-Medina fatally attacked Sheridan Gorman on March 19, at approximately 1 a.m., while she was on a pier with friends. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Medina-Medina entered the United States illegally on May 9, 2023, and was initially apprehended but later released under the Biden administration’s policies.
In the incident, Sheridan Gorman (left) was allegedly killed by Jose Medina (right) (Images courtesy of Sheridan Gorman/Instagram and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office)
The scheduled hearing for Medina-Medina was originally set for Monday but was postponed due to his ongoing tuberculosis treatment. The court session is now rescheduled for Friday at 11:30 a.m. local time, during which prosecutors are anticipated to disclose further details regarding the case. Medina-Medina faces charges including murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and illegal weapon possession.
A spokesman from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office informed Fox News Digital on Friday that Medina-Medina remains in the medical division of the county jail. Earlier in the week, he was hospitalized before being transferred to the jail’s medical facility.
Sheridan Gorman smiles alongside the Chicago skyline in Illinois. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)
Criminal defense attorney Donna Rotunno told Fox News Digital the decision to postpone Medina-Medina’s hearing on Monday was likely made by the Cook County Sheriff’s Department and medical personnel. He will likely appear virtually as officials are concerned about the disease Medina-Medina has, she added.
A native of Yorktown Heights, New York, Gorman attended Yorktown High School and was described in an obituary as someone who “had a way of making people feel seen, valued, and believed in.”
Jose Medina-Medina, a Venezuelan national, was also arrested for shoplifting and released before the alleged murder, DHS confirmed. (DHS)
“People often say someone ‘lit up a room’ or had ‘inner and outer beauty,’ but in Sheridan’s case, those phrases fall way too short. She radiated something even greater—a rare and unmistakable warmth, a spirit that was vibrant, compassionate, and full of life. She was funny, kind, and deeply loving, with a heart that made space for everyone,” her obituary states. “She loved fiercely—her family, her friends, her community, and her faith. She brought people together, lifted them up, and made the ordinary moments feel extraordinary simply by being in them.”
In a statement ahead of Friday’s hearing, Gorman’s family said the shooting doesn’t change the way they view Loyola University Chicago, where Sheridan was a freshman.
“We have been asked whether this tragedy changes how we view Loyola University Chicago. The answer is absolutely not. Sheradin and our family love Loyola,” the family wrote. “We’ve also been asked whether students should feel safe there. The answer is yes. Sheridan chose Loyola because she felt at home there. She was happy, she was thriving, and she felt safe in that community. That was our experience as her parents as well.”
“What happened to Sheridan was not a reflection of the Loyola community. It was the result of a failure outside of it,” the family added.
Sheridan Gorman, a New York native, was reportedly only a few months away from completing her freshman year at Loyola University Chicago in Illinois. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)
A police source told Fox News earlier that the shooting was an apparent ambush, adding that the suspect was reportedly wearing some kind of face mask or covering.
An arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital states that, after the shooting, Medina-Medina was captured on security video in his apartment building lobby waiting for an elevator and wasn’t masked. A building engineer told police he knew the suspect who had a “very distinct limp and gait.”
Pictures of the suspect’s face were sent to a police database, and information from U.S. Customs and Border Protection identified the suspect as Medina-Medina.Â
Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital show that Medina-Medina told officials he was living at Leone Beach Park fieldhouse in Rogers Park in 2023, which was being used as a city-sponsored shelter for migrants. Medina-Medina was arrested in 2023 and charged with shoplifting after he allegedly stole just over $130 in merchandise from a Macy’s in downtown Chicago. He failed to appear for court hearings related to that case, and an arrest warrant remained active until the alleged murder.