Purdue murder suspect's mental health history showcases troubling past

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Tippecanoe Circuit Judge Sean Persin heard from two court-appointed physicians who believed that the Purdue murder suspect Ji “Jimmy” Min Sha is incompetent to stand trial.

After briefly evaluating his behavior in the jail and reviewing his extensive medical and jail records, Dr. George Parker and Dr. Joanna Will said it was clear that he was not competent to stand trial. 

Both psychologists visited Sha in jail in order to conduct a competency test, but he was uncooperative and displayed symptoms of schizophrenia, which concurred with their diagnosis.

This behavior prompted the physicians to delve into his medical history in hopes of gaining a deeper understanding of his mental well-being.

Sha’s medical records indicated that he had been dealing with mental issues dating as far back as when he still lived in South Korea. 

According to his records, Sha was categorized as a “difficult” preteen. After being evaluated by a school psychologist in South Korea, Sha was prescribed medication aimed at addressing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Tourette Syndrome, and depression.

The physicians were unable to tell how long Sha was taking these medications or if his mental health warranted the amount of medication he was on.

Parker indicated that the court could potentially get these documents from South Korea but didn’t know how useful they would be since they would be in written in Korean.

Sha’s records also showcased that he had moved to the United States in 2014 with his parents, after his father found a job in Bloomington, Indiana. 

But only a couple of years later, both his mother and father moved back to South Korea, leaving Sha in the care of another Korean woman.

While attending school in the United States, Sha showcased a habit of getting into fights with other students. But beyond that, Sha academically did well, eventually graduating from Lighthouse Christian Academy in 2019. 

Later that same year, Sha began attending Purdue University.

While at Purdue, both physicians acknowledged that Sha was academically struggling and was on academic probation. It was then that he began demonstrating “bizarre” behavior to students and faculty.  

In early 2022, Purdue University received two separate reports — one from from a student and another from a faculty member — about Sha's behavior.

The first incident occurred on January 2022 after Sha told a professor who previously worked with the CIA, that people wanted Sha dead for the “work” he’s done online.

The second report came in February 2022 after Sha sent a fellow church member an alarming text message explaining why he would be missing church that day.

“The destiny can not be changed. I’m sorry,” read the text according to Will when testifying.

Although it was known that Purdue had received the reports, both physicians were unable to tell what — if any — treatment Sha received from the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services since the records have not been shared with the physicians or prosecuting team. 

From February 2022 to October 2022, the physicians were unable to determine if Sha received any medical help regarding his mental well-being. 

On Oct. 5, 2022, Sha is accused of stabbing his roommate Varun Manish Chheda, 20, several times in the head and neck with a folding knife, which police found on the floor near the chair where officers found Chheda.

After Sha was arrested and placed in jail, Dr. Sean Samuels conducted a test to determine Sha’s competency to stand trial, which he believed Sha did not meet those standards.

It was this report that both Parker and Will reviewed when evaluating Sha’s competency.

While in jail, Sha showcased bizarre behavior, ranging from telling people he was in the CIA, that his name was Peter Parker and told officers in the jail that he was being zapped by the camera within the jail.

Sha also asked an officer to Taser him at one point. He's also attempted to suicide once while in jail.

While in jail, Sha refused to take almost any medication except for two occasions, when he took half a dose and a third of a dose of medication. 

Jail nurses witnessed a positive reaction to Sha’s mental health after he took his medication. 

After both physicians testified, they told Persin that they believed that Sha currently is incompetent to stand trial and he needs to receive care at a mental institution.

The physicians especially highlighted that since Sha positively reacted to the small dose of medication that he received while in jail, the court should allow him to receive treatment for his mental health.

Persin took the matter under advisement and told the attorneys that he would provide a decision at a later date.

Noe Padilla is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email him at Npadilla@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter at 1NoePadilla.