Feds charge illegal immigrant in Loyola student killing as attorney says prosecutors lack 'faith' in state

Federal prosecutors piled caller charges Thursday connected an amerciable migrant accused of sidesplitting a Loyola University Chicago pupil due to the fact that the feds "have nary faith" successful the state's justness system, according to a section transgression defence attorney.

"Blue cities historically are lighter successful their prosecutions. We person already heard that this idiosyncratic was of diminished capacity, truthful we are astir apt going to spot immoderate defence successful respect to that," Donna Rotunno told Fox News Digital. "My conjecture is the feds wanted to leap successful truthful they tin person immoderate power implicit the destiny of the defendant."

Jose Medina-Medina, 25, was arrested aft helium allegedly killed 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago pupil Sheridan Gorman connected March 19 successful the aboriginal greeting hours. The Department of Homeland Security said that Medina-Medina is an amerciable migrant from Venezuela who archetypal entered the U.S. successful 2023, erstwhile helium was apprehended but released into the state nether the Biden administration.

Federal prosecutors connected Thursday charged Medina-Medina with illegally possessing a firearm, which carries a maximum condemnation of 10 years successful national prison. The firearm Medina-Medina allegedly utilized to termination Gorman was illegally purchased astir February 6, 2008, from a Federal Firearms Licensee successful Montgomery, Alabama, according to a charging document.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Sheridan Gorman smiles alongside the Chicago skyline successful Illinois.  (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)

"Given the senseless, cold-blooded quality of the execution of a young pupil with a agleam aboriginal up of her, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office volition instrumentality nary chances that this amerciable alien perpetrator volition beryllium released backmost into our community," said U.S. Attorney Boutros.

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

Jose Medina-Medina, a Venezuelan national, was besides arrested for shoplifting and released earlier the alleged murder, DHS confirmed.  (DHS)

SEND US A TIP HERE

In summation to the national charges, Medina-Medina besides faces state-level charges of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and amerciable possession of a weapon.

Sheridan Gorman, a New York native, was reportedly lone a fewer months distant from completing her freshman twelvemonth astatine Loyola University Chicago successful Illinois. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)

During a detention proceeding for Medina-Medina, prosecutors revealed that Gorman was with her friends astatine a Rogers Park pier erstwhile she looked astir a lighthouse and saw Medina-Medina there. Gorman past walked backmost towards her friends and mouthed "there's a antheral down the lighthouse," astatine which constituent Medina-Medina began chasing them. 

Prosecutors said Gorman was changeable successful the precocious backmost portion the radical of friends ran distant from Medina-Medina. Her friends kept moving until they recovered a spot to hide, past went backmost to cheque connected Gorman, who was unresponsive.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Sketch of Jose Medina-Medina successful tribunal successful Chicago, Friday, March 27, 2026. Medina-Medina, who is successful the state illegally, allegedly changeable and killed Sheridan Gorman portion she was astatine a pier successful the Rogers Park area. (L.D. Chukman)

While Medina-Medina was successful Colombia, helium was changeable successful the head, which resulted successful the nonaccomplishment of a information of his encephalon and skull, leaving him to relearn basal functions, his lawyer said. Medina-Medina's lawyer said that helium has the encephalon improvement of a kid and cannot work oregon write.

Medina-Medina's lawyer besides said that helium suffers from epilepsy and inactive has slug fragments lodged successful his brain. The execution fishy turned himself successful astatine the Texas borderline successful 2023, wherever helium was held successful detention earlier being released. His lawyer said that Medina-Medina requested to beryllium sent backmost to Colombia, wherever his parent had moved to, but was transported by autobus to Chicago.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

During Medina-Medina's clip successful a shelter, helium contracted tuberculosis, according to his attorney. He was treated for tuberculosis aft being arrested connected execution charges, which led to a hold successful his detention hearing.

Members of the Gorman household on with friends of the slain assemblage pupil were astatine the tribunal proceeding via Zoom, wherever a justice held Medina-Medina to beryllium detained pending trial.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Close up of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago pupil who was fatally changeable adjacent campus. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)

"We sat successful a courtroom and listened arsenic the idiosyncratic accused of taking Sheridan’s beingness was described done the lens of his background, his circumstances, and his struggles," Gorman's household said. "We heard a telephone for compassion. And we recognize that instinct. Every beingness has a story. But we cannot suffer show of the simple, devastating information astatine the halfway of each of this: Sheridan had a beingness too."

Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital amusement that Medina-Medina told officials helium was surviving astatine Leone Beach Park fieldhouse successful Rogers Park successful 2023, which was being utilized arsenic a city-sponsored structure for migrants. Medina-Medina was arrested successful 2023 and charged with shoplifting aft helium allegedly stole conscionable implicit $130 successful merchandise from a Macy's successful downtown Chicago. He failed to look for tribunal hearings related to that case, and an apprehension warrant remained progressive until the alleged murder.

Fox News' Philip Bodinet and Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.