Man charged with killing Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman misses first court date with tuberculosis

The man charged in the murder of Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman last week missed his first court appearance on Monday, because he was being treated for tuberculosis, prosecutors said.

Jose Medina, 25, is charged with one felony count of first-degree murder, one felony count of attempted first-degree murder, three felony counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, and one felony count of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.

Medina was scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on Monday, but Cook County prosecutors said he was unable to appear because he was hospitalized at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he is being treated for tuberculosis. He is now due back in court on Friday. Prosecutors are seeking to have him held in jail until he faces trial.

In a statement, Gorman's family said Medina's arrest was just a "first step" toward justice.

"What Sheridan was doing that night—walking with friends near her campus—was normal. It was safe. It is what students do every day. We will not allow this to be dismissed as 'wrong place, wrong time.' This was not random misfortune. This was a violent and preventable act," her family said. "This cannot be just another case that fades from public attention. Sheridan's life mattered. What happened to her matters. And we will make sure she is not forgotten."

The shooting happened early last Thursday as Gorman, 18, was walking with her friends near the pier at Tobey Prinz Beach at Pratt Boulevard to take in the Chicago skyline.

Prosecutors said, as Gorman and her friends were walking toward the lighthouse at the end of the pier shortly after 1 a.m., Gorman told her friends she saw someone hiding behind the lighthouse. When Medina came out from behind the lighthouse, Gorman and her friends ran away, and Medina shot Gorman in the back. The bullet exited her neck.

Gorman's friends took cover in a nearby grassy area, according to prosecutors.

Surveillance cameras were able to track Medina – who was dressed in all black and wearing a black mask – back to his apartment building on Sheridan Road, about a block and a half from the beach, according to prosecutors

By the time Medina returned to his apartment building, he had removed his mask, and the building's engineer recognized him, prosecutors said. Police obtained a search warrant for his home, and recovered a .40 caliber handgun from his apartment. A shell casing from the scene matched the gun found in Medina's home.

Medina's mother later also identified him as the gunman, prosecutors said.

Police announced Sunday that Medina was arrested Friday night, one block away from the scene of the shooting.

Medina is a Venezuelan migrant who was living in the U.S. illegally, the Department of Homeland Security told CBS News.   

According to DHS, Medina has been in the U.S. since 2023. He was previously charged with retail theft at Macy's on State Street in September 2023 and was released on bond. He did not show up for court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

That warrant was still outstanding when he was arrested in Gorman's murder, DHS said. Federal immigration officials have asked that Medina not be released, and have requested an immigration detainer.

A spokesperson for Gov. JB Pritzker released a statement regarding Gorman's death and DHS's accusations Monday, writing, "Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and Loyola University community grieving the senseless murder of Sheridan Gorman. Violent crime has no place in our streets, and we expect the alleged perpetrator to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The Trump Administration needs to stop politicizing heinous tragedies and instead focus on real solutions, like reinstating federal funds to prevent violence that support our public safety efforts."

Since the shooting, the Loyola community and neighbors in Rogers Park have come together, holding vigils and leaving flowers to honor Gorman.

Gorman was a freshman from Yorktown in Westchester County, New York, north of New York City. She was just six months into her college journey.

A celebration of life service for Gorman is scheduled for Saturday in her home state of New York.