Jose Medina, charged with the March killing of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman, was found with a weapon while in custody at Cook County Jail. According to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, jail staff discovered a 6-inch shank in Medina's possession on Thursday morning. The 26-year-old was searched by correctional officers, who recovered the weapon from his pants pocket. Following this incident, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved a new felony charge of possession of contraband in a penal institution against Medina on Friday.
Medina has been in custody since March 23 and is charged with shooting 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman at Tobey Prinz Beach in Rogers Park on March 19. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges related to Gorman's death, with his next court date scheduled for June 1. Prosecutors allege that Medina chased Gorman and her friends before shooting her in the upper back as they attempted to flee. An arrest report indicates that Medina was seen on video in the lobby of his apartment building after the shooting. He was previously apprehended at the southern border in 2023 and was released into the U.S. despite being flagged as a flight risk and lacking a valid asylum claim.