WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A man accused of killing his roommate at Purdue University last year has not been taking his prescribed medications while awaiting trial.
According to court documents, Ji Min Sha has taken his prescribed antipsychotic medications only three times at the Tippecanoe County Jail since being transferred from a mental health institution.
Sha is accused of stabbing Varun Manish Chheda, his roommate, to death in their dorm room at McCutcheon Hall in October 2022. Sha called 911 to report the killing before being taken into custody. He’s charged with murder.
Sha’s mental health and competency have been at the center of the case for months.
Doctors determined Sha met the criteria for schizophrenia and didn’t comprehend the legal proceedings against him. They believed, however, that competency could be restored with help from medication and a mental health facility. They later said Sha could stand trial as long as he takes his medications.
According to a report from Quality Correctional Care (QCC), a contractor for the Tippecanoe County Jail, Sha is supposed to take Zyprexa twice a day and Risperdal at bedtime. Both medications are used to treat schizophrenia.
The report said Sha had “accepted” his medication “three times in total” since arriving at the jail in mid-September and considered him “non-compliant with his prescribed medications.”
A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for Wednesday (Oct. 4). After that, Sha is next due in court on Oct. 13 for a status conference, according to court records.
