New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences and directed state police to assist in the investigation of the murder of Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender individual whose remains were discovered in Yates County. While the Governor initially raised the possibility of a hate crime, a joint statement from the New York State Police and the Ontario County District Attorney's office clarified that there was no current evidence suggesting such a motive. The statement revealed that the victim and the accused were acquaintances within the LGBTQ+ community, and at least one suspect had lived with Nordquist.
Five individuals have been apprehended and charged with second-degree murder with depraved indifference: Precious Arzuaga, Jennifer Quijano, Kyle Sage, Patrick Goodwin, and Emily Motyka. Background checks revealed prior criminal records for three of the suspects, including offenses ranging from larceny to child sex crimes. Sage was on parole at the time of the arrest, having been released from prison in May 2024 after a conviction for larceny and disseminating indecent material to a minor. Goodwin, a registered Level 3 sex offender, had a 2015 conviction for criminal sexual acts against a victim under 11. He was released on parole in June 2023. Arzuaga has multiple misdemeanor convictions.
In New York, a hate crime is legally defined as an offense motivated by bias against characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected attributes. Retired NYPD Inspector Paul Mauro suggested that, barring new evidence, this case is likely to proceed as a standard murder case, given the existing information about the relationships between the victim and the suspects.
Nordquist’s family last communicated with the victim in late January and filed a missing person report, leading to the discovery of the body on February 15th. Authorities believe Nordquist suffered sustained physical and psychological torture over a period of weeks. Captain Kelly Swift of the State Police described the crime as one of the most horrific in her 20-year career, while District Attorney James Ritts called the details "beyond depraved." Governor Hochul condemned the brutal slaying and assured the public that the individuals involved would be held accountable.
