Border Patrol Records Say Loyola Murder Suspect Was Flight Risk but Released for ‘Lack of Space’
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Border Patrol records made public by House Judiciary Committee Republicans and reported by conservative outlets show that Jose Medina‑Medina, a Venezuelan migrant who has been charged in the fatal shooting of a Loyola University Chicago student, was flagged as a flight risk but released after an El Paso apprehension in 2023. Excerpts of a Border Patrol agent’s court filing posted on X say Medina‑Medina told agents he would not face harm if returned to Venezuela, had no verifiable contact information, and was assessed as “likely to abscond,” yet was released “on recognizance … due to lack of space.” Federal prosecutors have since added an illegal firearm possession charge tied to the weapon alleged to have been used in the killing; a local defense lawyer told reporters that the new federal count may reflect limited confidence in Illinois’ ability to prosecute the case.