Illegal immigrant accused of killing Chicago college student to face court after tuberculosis delay
The illegal immigrant accused of killing a Loyola University Chicago student is set to make his first court appearance more than a week after his arrest, which was delayed as he undergoes treatment for tuberculosis.
Jose Medina-Medina, 25, allegedly killed Sheridan Gorman while she was with friends on a pier on March 19 just after 1 a.m., according to officials. Medina-Medina, the suspect in Gorman's murder, entered the country illegally on May 9, 2023, and was apprehended then released into the U.S. under the Biden administration, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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A detention hearing for Medina-Medina was scheduled for Monday, but was postponed as court officials said he was being treated for tuberculosis. The hearing was moved to Friday at 11:30 a.m. local time, where prosecutors are expected to give more details on Medina-Medina and Gorman's murder. He's facing charges of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and illegal possession of a weapon.
A Cook County Sheriff's Office spokesman told Fox News Digital Friday that Medina-Medina was in the medical division of its jail. He was at a local hospital earlier in the week before being transferred to the jail.
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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."
"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.
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"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.
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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.
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.
Fox News' Philip Bodinet and Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.