Five Individuals Charged With Brutal Torture and Murder of Man in Upstate New York

Police in Upstate New York have uncovered troubling details about what happened to Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender man from Minnesota who they say was killed in the Finger Lakes region. It is said that Nordquist was tortured for weeks before being killed.

Human remains belonging to Sam Nordquist were found in a field near Canandaigua in Upstate New York on February 13. This discovery led to the arrest of five people: Precious Arzuaga, 38; Jennifer Quijano, 30; Kyle Sage, 33; Patrick Goodwin, 30; and Emily Motyka, 19.

The arrested are each from Upstate New York and are all suspected of being involved in the death of Nordquist. The five individuals have been charged with second-degree murder with depraved indifference, as per the police.

At a recent press conference, New York State Police Captain Kelly Swift shared that their investigation uncovered a troubling pattern of abuse that led to Nordquist's tragic death. Swift explained, "Our investigation has revealed that Sam endured prolonged physical and psychological abuse at the hands of multiple individuals from early December 2024 to February 2025, which ultimately led to his death."

Nordquist's family contacted the police on February 9 to report him missing, which led to an investigation. Evidence of continuous physical abuse was discovered during the search of various places, including Patty’s Lodge, where Nordquist was last seen staying.

A fundraising campaign on GoFundMe has been started to help Nordquist's family. It has garnered support from approximately 3,400 donors and raised over $114,326 as of Tuesday Morning. Nordquist, who came from Oakdale, Minnesota, had traveled to New York in September to meet someone he had been talking to online. He was expected to return home by mid-October.

All five suspects have been arraigned and remanded to jail in Ontario County, including Canandaigua. Police Captain Swift emphasized the deep unsettling nature of the case and reaffirmed the commitment to seeking justice for Sam and his family, describing it as "one of the most horrific crimes" she has ever investigated during her 20-year law enforcement career.

The medical examiner’s office in Monroe County, New York, will perform an autopsy to determine exactly how Nordquist died, as authorities suspect he was killed. The LGBTQ+ rights group, The New Pride Agenda, shared their sadness and anger about the situation. They pointed out that this tragic event reflects the increasing levels of hate in society.

However, investigators have announced that they have found no evidence suggesting that the torture and killing of Sam Norquist was a hate crime. Law enforcement officials revealed that some or all of the five individuals charged with murder in connection with the killing were themselves members of the L.G.B.T.Q. communities.

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The New York State Police and Ontario County district attorney, James Ritts, released a statement urging the community not to speculate on the motive behind the murder, emphasizing that at this time, there is no indication that Sam’s murder was a hate crime.