Sam Nordquist, the 24-year-old transgender man whose body was found wrapped in plastic in a field in upstate New York last month, was treated “like a dog” by the seven individuals accused of killing him, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Nordquist, a Black man from Minnesota, was physically and sexually assaulted by the group from Jan. 1 until his death on Feb. 2, Ontario County Assistant District Attorney Kelly Wolford said at a press conference when announcing the indictments in his death.
All seven defendants, who had previously been arrested for second-degree murder, were indicted on first-degree murder charges, which carry the possibility of a life sentence without parole.
“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.”
According to investigators, the defendants denied Nordquist proper hydration and nutrition, force-fed him feces and made him drink urine during his month-long torture. They physically restrained him, used duct tape on him and even poured bleach on his body, Wolford said.
In a felony complaint filed last month, investigators also said the group subjected Nordquist to “repeated acts of violence,” including sexual assault with a table leg and broomsticks, and “prolonged beatings” with sticks, dog toys, ropes, canes and belts until he died.
Nordquist, of Oakdale, Minn., had traveled to upstate New York in late September and was expected to return home about two weeks later. However, he never boarded his return flight and lost contact with loved ones, prompting his family to request a welfare check from the New York State Police in Canandaigua.
According to the nonprofit Missing People in America, Nordquist met “a woman named Precious online, who convinced him to visit her in New York.” His family said he bought a roundtrip plane ticket believing he was going to see his online girlfriend, reported Minneapolis station KARE.
On Feb. 9, NYSP investigators determined Nordquist had been staying at a motel in Hopewell, along with Precious Arzuaga and several others.
A subsequent search of the motel room revealed “a deeply disturbing pattern of abuse that ultimately resulted in Sam’s tragic death,” according to NYSP Captain Kelly Swift.
“His body was then transported in an attempt to conceal the crime” and was discovered on Feb. 13 in a field off Payne Road in the Town of Benton, Swift said.
Arzuaga, 38, and six other people were arrested late last month for second-degree murder. According to the 11-count indictment, the group is now accused of kidnapping and child endangerment. Arzuaga was charged with coercing two children, ages 7 and 12, to participate in the torture.
The six others charged with murder include Thomas Eaves, Patrick Goodwin, Emily Motyka, Jennifer Quijano, Kyle Sage and Kimberly Sochia. They’re all from upstate New York and range in age from 19 to 33.
Officials said there was no evidence to suggest the murder had been a hate crime, saying Nordquist and his assailants “were known to each other [and] identified as LGBTQ+” — an announcement that angered many in the community.