Loyola student murder suspect found with shank in Cook County Jail: officials

COOK COUNTY, Ill. - The man facing charges in the murder of a Loyola University student was caught with a weapon while in jail, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

Jose Medina, 26, has been charged with the murder of Sheridan Gorman, 18, a former student at Loyola University. 

Medina is facing new charges after a Cook County Jail staff member found a 6-inch shank in his possession on Thursday, according to officials. Correctional officers searched Medina's pants pockets and found a piece of metal that had been sharpened and a handle added with medical tape.

He is a Venezuelan national who entered the United States in 2023 after being detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

The backstory:

Sheridan was walking outside with a group of friends around 1:30 a.m. on March 19 when a masked male suspect, later identified as Medina, approached them and started shooting in their direction on Tobey Prinz Beach's pier, according to Chicago police and a Loyola campus safety alert.

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Sheridan was shot in the head and died at the scene.

Prosecutors say Medina was hiding nearby before stepping out and firing at Gorman and her group as they tried to run. 

Investigators said video evidence helped trace Medina to his apartment, where police recovered a gun wrapped in a ski mask near his bed.

What's next:

Medina has been in jail since March 23. His next court date is set for Monday after an earlier delay tied to a tuberculosis diagnosis.