Beyond Evil: Five Arrested for Months-Long Torture and Murder of Trans Man
In a case so chilling it has left seasoned investigators shaken, five individuals have been arrested and charged with the murder of 24-year-old Sam Nordquist—a trans man who allegedly endured months of relentless torture before his tragic death.
Nordquist, who had traveled from Minnesota to New York in September 2024, last made contact with his family in January. Alarmed by his silence, his loved ones reported him missing on February 9, prompting New York State Police Troop E to conduct a welfare check at a lodge where he had been staying with several suspects.
What they uncovered was a nightmare beyond imagination.
Authorities discovered Nordquist’s remains discarded in a remote field in another county. Shortly after, five suspects—Precious Arzuaga, Jennifer Quijano, Kyle Sage, Patrick Goodwin, and Emily Motyka—were taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder under depraved indifference.
At a press conference, Kelly Swift, captain of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation of Troop E, described the scene investigators encountered at the lodge. “It was a deeply disturbing pattern of abuse that ultimately resulted in Sam’s tragic death.” She further detailed that Nordquist had suffered “prolonged physical and psychological abuse” between December and February, adding that the acts inflicted upon him were nothing short of “repeated violence and torture.”
Ontario County District Attorney James Ritts didn’t mince words, calling it “the worst homicide investigation our office has ever been a part of.” His voice heavy with emotion, he stated, “The facts and circumstances of this case are beyond depraved. No human being should have to endure what Sam endured.”
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that Nordquist’s murder was a hate crime.
For now, the five suspects remain behind bars without bail as the community and the nation struggle to process the sheer horror of what transpired.
This case serves as a grim reminder of the violence that still plagues marginalized communities. But as the investigation continues, one thing is clear—justice for Sam Nordquist is only just beginning.
