Five arrested in Upstate NY with the kidnapping, torture and murder of transgender man
On Valentine’s Day 2025, the New York State Police, headquartered in Canandaigua, announced that after working with local law enforcement agencies, they arrested and charged five individuals in connection with the disappearance and murder of 24-year-old Sam Nordquist. CNN reports that Nordquist, a transgender man from Minnesota, was tortured and abused for weeks leading up to his death.
On February 9, police in Upstate New York initiated a missing person investigation after receiving a welfare check request from Nordquist’s family. Investigators determined that Nordquist had been residing at Patty’s Lodge in Hopewell, New York, with Precious Arzuaga, 38, and others.
During their investigation, law enforcement officials uncovered evidence indicating that Nordquist was subjected to ongoing physical abuse between December 2024 and February 2025. On February 13, human remains believed to be Nordquist’s were discovered in a field off Payne Road in Yates County.
ABC News quoted Captain Kelly Swift, a New York State Police investigator, as saying that Swift, along with other investigators, suspect Nordquist was tortured and killed in neighboring Ontario County and then moved, “in an attempt to conceal a crime.”
After consultation with the Ontario County District Attorney’s Office, the following individuals have been arrested and charged with Murder in the Second Degree – Depraved Indifference:
- Precious Arzuaga, 38, of Geneva, NY
- Jennifer A. Quijano, 30, of Geneva, NY
- Kyle Sage, 33, of Hopewell, NY
- Patrick A. Goodwin, 30, of Rochester, NY
- Emily Motyka, 19, of Rochester, NY
Investigators executed multiple search warrants at Patty’s Lodge and other locations tied to the case. Evidence, including electronic devices, clothing, and personal effects, has been secured for further forensic analysis. The investigation indicated that the victim was subjected to prolonged physical and psychological abuse before being transported to Yates County, where the remains were disposed of.
The Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to confirm the cause and manner of death. Police confirmed that this is still an active and ongoing investigation. All five suspects have been arraigned and remanded to the Ontario County Jail.
The New York State Police were assisted by the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Geneva Police Department, the Yates County Coroner’s Office, and the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office for their assistance in this case.
For more on the story, see the video below.
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(Source and all images: New York State Police, Canandaigua)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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