A 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant faces questioning in the execution-style shooting death of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old freshman at Loyola University Chicago. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday near Lake Michigan, where Gorman walked with friends. A man dressed in black emerged from bushes and fired a single shot to her head. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
Details of the Suspect
Chicago police hold the suspect, a Rogers Park resident, identifiable by his distinct limp. Court records show a prior misdemeanor shoplifting charge from a Macy’s store in June 2023. Authorities have not yet filed charges.
Family’s Heartbreaking Statement
Sheridan’s parents, Thomas and Jessica Gorman from Yorktown Heights, New York, arrived in Chicago Thursday night to retrieve her body. In a statement, the family expressed profound grief: “Our beloved daughter, Sheridan, was taken from us this morning in Chicago. There is no way to soften this – this was murder. Sheridan was the light of our lives. She made people feel seen, safe, and loved simply by being who she was.”
They continued: “She lived her faith with kindness, compassion, and joy, and she loved her family and friends deeply. We trusted that she would be safe. That trust was broken. Someone made a deliberate choice that stole our daughter and forever changed our family.” The family demands answers and vows to pursue justice.
Background on Sheridan Gorman
Raised in an upper-middle-class Westchester County suburb, Sheridan attended Yorktown High School before enrolling at the Jesuit university. Her mother, Jessica, often shares posts celebrating patriotism, veterans, and the American flag. In May 2025, she announced Sheridan’s commitment: “So incredibly proud of our sassy yet so sweet Sheridan Grace!” Photos showed Sheridan amid Loyola’s maroon and gold merchandise.
Sheridan frequently posted about friends, family, and faith on social media. Her profile featured a Bible verse from Corinthians: “Let all that you do be done in love.” Days before the shooting, she shared St. Patrick’s Day photos captioned “Where’s my kiss?” Earlier in March, she wrote “Warmer days ahead!” while posing around Chicago.
Police Assessment and Local Response
Investigators believe Gorman was not the intended target. Chicago Alderman Maria Hadden, in contact with police, stated the victim was “at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Similar High-Profile Cases
The random nature of the attack draws parallels to other incidents. In February 2024, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia, died during a jog. Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan who entered the U.S. illegally, received a life sentence without parole after conviction. Prosecutor Sheila Ross described the brutality: “He put huge holes in her head with a rock. And he did it more than once. And there could be no other reason to do that, other than to silence her forever.” Ibarra had prior arrests for child endangerment and shoplifting.
Riley’s case echoed the 2018 murder of Mollie Tibbetts, a 20-year-old University of Iowa student killed during a run. Cristhian Bahena Rivera, a Mexican national in the U.S. illegally, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
