What are the charges against Jose Medina-Medina? Why Sheridan Gorman's alleged killer remains hospitalized

Jose Medina-Medina, the man arrested for allegedly killing Loyola college student Sheridan Gorman, is now facing multiple charges.

Published on: Mar 24, 2026 1:51 PM IST

By Sumanti Sen

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The man arrested for allegedly killing Loyola college student Sheridan Gorman is now facing multiple charges. The 18-year-old freshman was shot dead by 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant Jose Medina-Medina last Thursday when she and a group of friends walked to the pier at Tobey Prinz Beach to see the Northern Lights, the family's attorney said, according to ABC 7.

What are the charges against Jose Medina-Medina?

Medina-Medina is facing first degree murder and weapon charges, according to ABC 7. Chicago police arrested him shortly after Gorman’s murder.

Authorities utilized facial recognition software to compare images from surveillance footage to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records. CPD investigators stated in an arrest report that the images matched Medina-Medina.

According to court records, an arrest warrant was issued for Medina-Medina in 2023 after he stopped appearing in court on shoplifting charges. Federal officials have said that Medina-Medina, an undocumented Venezuelan national, should have never been released after that 2023 arrest.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday, March 23, that he had been briefed on Gorman’s murder. He said that the incident showed that there was a need for ramped up immigration enforcement efforts.

“This person came in through the open door policy of [former President] Joe Biden and we have others,” Trump said, according to WGLT. “ We’re taking them out by the tens of thousands. We’re doing a great job, but it’s a shame.”

Gorman’s family said in a statement that they were “gravely disappointed by the policies and failures that allowed this individual to remain in a position to commit this crime.”

Officials said that Medina-Medina missed court Monday as he is hospitalized with tuberculosis. He is currently detained at Illinois Masonic Medical Center, undergoing treatment. Judge Luciano Panici ordered that the suspect remain “in custody” pending a full hearing Friday.

Meanwhile, the DHS has lodged an arrest detainer requesting sanctuary politicians not release Medina-Medina. “Medina-Medina should have never been in our country, but was RELEASED into our communities by the Biden administration. He was then released AGAIN following an arrest for shoplifting in Chicago, Illinois,” the DHS said on X.

It added, “Illinois sanctuary politicians and Governor Pritzker must work with us to ensure this public safety threat is NEVER released back into our neighborhoods again.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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