An Ontario County grand jury has upgraded the charges against the suspects arrested in connection with the death of Sam Nordquist.
All seven suspects accused of torturing and ultimately killing Nordquist, 24, a transgender man originally from Minnesota, outside Canandaigua are now charged with first-degree murder, New York state's most serious charge, according to Ontario County First Assistant DA Kelly Wolford. That's in addition to second-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy, authorities say.
Those suspects are:
- Precious Arzuaga, 38, of Geneva
- Jennifer Quijano, 30, of Geneva
- Kyle Sage, 33, of Hopewell
- Patrick Goodwin, 30, of Rochester
- Emily Motyka, 19, of Rochester
- Kimberly Sochia, 29, of Canandaigua
- Thomas Eaves, 21, of Geneva
Prosecutors say Arzuaga, Quijano, Sage and Goodwin are also charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault.
“It's a rare circumstance where we stand before you and charge this subdivision of, murder in the first degree, where it alleges that somebody was tortured to death," Wolford said. "It specifically requires that we prove that all seven defendants tortured Sam Norquist. And that they did so because they enjoyed it. That's what murder in the first degree is.”
Officials say Nordquist moved from Minnesota to New York in September and was living at Patty’s Lodge in Hopewell with at least one of the suspects.
"This case is bigger than a hate crime," Wolford said. "A hate crime would make this charge about Sam's gender or about Sam's race, and it's so much bigger. To limit us to a hate crime would be an injustice to Sam. Sam deserves to have this story told in its entirety. Sam was beaten, assaulted, sexually abused, starved, held captive and we cannot make sense of that."
Authorities say Nordquist arrived to New York on his own free will, but in the weeks between Jan. 1, and the day he died on Feb. 2, he was held captive. Police say Nordquist was reported missing on Feb. 9. Investigators say from early January to February, Nordquist was subjected to repeated violence and torture that ultimately led to his death. His body was recovered in a field on Payne Road in Yates County, according to police. His family in Minnesota laid him to rest on Tuesday.
“This is a situation where now you have in front of you some of the things that Sam endured during his captivity," Wolford said. "It's just a portion. It's just what we know now. And we expect, as the investigation and prosecution continues, that there will be much more."
The district attorney's office also revealed that two children were involved in these crimes. Officials say they are victims, but the assistant district attorney could not comment on whether the children are in state custody.
“It's heartbreaking," Wolford said. "We have a 7-year-old and a 12-year-old who are also victims. They may have been forced to participate, but their lives are forever changed by what they saw and endured in there. And so we're here not just for Sam, but we're here to see justice for those two children.”
