ONTARIO COUNTY, N.Y. — New York State Police have arrested two additional suspects in connection with the murder of Sam Nordquist, a transgender man from Minnesota. The new arrests—a 21-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman—bring the total number of individuals charged with second-degree murder to seven.
Nordquist, who had traveled to New York in September 2024 to meet his online girlfriend, Precious Arzuaga, was allegedly killed between Jan. 1 and Feb. 2 at Patty’s Lodge motel in Hopewell, N.Y. His body was discovered in a nearby field on Feb. 13.
Court documents detail the horrific nature of the crime, revealing sexual assault and prolonged beatings that led to Nordquist’s death. Ontario County District Attorney James Ritts called the case “beyond depraved”, describing it as the worst homicide investigation his office has ever handled.
Nordquist’s mother, Linda Nordquist, expressed devastation over her son’s brutal killing. “He had a heart of gold and wouldn’t hurt anybody,” she told KARE 11. “Nobody deserves this type of torment.”
Authorities have not yet classified the case as a hate crime but have not ruled out the possibility as the investigation continues.
