An undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, accused of killing Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman in March, was discovered with a weapon while in custody, according to the authorities.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office reported that correctional officers at Cook County Jail found a 6-inch shank in the possession of 26-year-old Jose Medina at around 8 a.m. on Thursday. The weapon, made from a sharpened piece of metal, had a handle crafted from medical tape and was found in his pants pocket.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has lodged a new felony charge against Medina for possession of contraband within a penal institution, a charge approved on Friday.
Medina has been held in custody since March 23. He faces charges for the shooting death of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman on March 19 at Tobey Prinz Beach in Rogers Park. Medina has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges regarding Gorman’s murder, with a forthcoming court date set for June 1.
Gorman suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the upper back while with friends near Tobey Prinz Beach, located less than a mile from their Illinois campus, around 1 a.m. on March 19. Prosecutors detailed how she noticed Medina near a lighthouse, alerted her friends by mouthing, “There’s a man behind the lighthouse,” and then he allegedly pursued them.
As Gorman and her friends fled, Medina reportedly shot at them, ultimately striking Gorman. Her friends managed to find a hiding spot, and upon returning to check on her, found her unresponsive.
An arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital reveals that Medina was captured on surveillance video following the shooting, seen in the lobby of his apartment building without a mask, and waiting for an elevator. A building engineer identified Medina based on his distinct limp and gait.
Jose Medina, a Venezuelan national, had previously been detained for shoplifting and released prior to the alleged murder, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security. Fox News Digital previously reported that Medina was detained at the U.S. southern border in 2023, flagged as a flight risk, and lacked a valid asylum claim, though he was released into the United States that same year during the Biden administration. He reportedly did not possess a valid U.S. address or identification, nor could he provide a verifiable point of contact.