Sam Nordquist Torture and Murder

Nordquist family determined to keep Sam’s memory alive as pre-trial proceedings start​

This week marks a year since Sam Nordquist’s body was found in a field in Yates County. Police said he endured weeks of torture leading up to his death.

News10NBC’s Erin Mahon spoke with Sam’s mother, Linda Nordquist, and his sister, Kayla Nordquist. Linda and Kayla said they are speaking about Sam’s case to ensure his name isn’t forgotten. “I believe Sam is still here and is waiting until he gets his justice. We are his voices. We are going to continue to speak, and the more time goes on, the louder we’re going to get,” Linda said.

When asked about the upcoming trial, Linda said she feels confident in Assistant District Attorneys James Nobles and Sara Van Strydonck because they are new to the Ontario County District Attorney’s office and have something to prove. She said she has checked their conviction records and feels both prosecutors have a strong history of achieving justice.

“They all deserve nothing less than life without the possibility of parole. Every single one of them,” Linda said. “I’ve had people say ‘death penalty. Death penalty. New York should get the death penalty back.’ No, that’s too easy. I want them to suffer the way they made my son suffer.”

“Even if they do get life without the possibility of parole, it would be a weight lifted,” Kayla said. “But the way I feel, I don’t think any amount of justice is going to bring me peace, because I just don’t have my brother.”

Mahon spoke with Nobles earlier today. He said tomorrow’s pre-trial conference will decide when and how many trials will take place. There are seven suspects, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be tried together. Tomorrow the judge, defense attorneys and prosecutors will discuss the plan and set a schedule for the trial or trials. Nobles noted tomorrow’s conference will start the conversation, but may not end in a finalized plan. He declined to discuss the prosecutor’s strategy thus far, but noted that they are focusing on growing as familiar with the evidence in the case as possible right now.

Sam Nordquist murder trial proceedings set to begin in September​

Trial proceedings for suspects accused of killing Sam Nordquist are set to begin in September, according to the Ontario County District Attorney's Office.

No specific trial date has been set yet.

The DA’s office says that was decided at a scheduling conference on Wednesday.

Additional court appearances are set for April 22 and 24 to address further scheduling and severance motions.

Seven people between age 19 and 38 are each charged with murder in Nordquist's death.

While it’s unclear if any of those defendants will be tried together, the DA's office says there will be more than one trial and each should last about a month.

Assuming this all continues forward with no pleas, it's going to be a heck of a lot to follow and keep straight. Sounds like the first trial wouldn't be before Jan 2027.

Pre-trial hearings begin for 2 suspects in Nordquist murder case​

Pre-trial hearings began Wednesday for two of the suspects in the Sam Nordquist murder case.

Precious Arzuaga and Kyle Sage appeared in Ontario County Court on Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively. The three defendants and the four other suspects are being tried separately.

One of seven defendants in Sam Nordquist murder case takes plea deal​

One of the seven people accused of killing and torturing Sam Nordquist has pleaded guilty to her charges.

Emily Motyka pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and kidnapping in the second degree. According to the Ontario County District Attorney’s Office, Motyka waived her right to appeal as part of the plea agreement. She will stay in jail pending sentencing and won’t be eligible for release on bail.

Motyka was 19 at the time of the murder and is now 20. District Attorney Jason MacBride said she faces at least 15 years and up to 50 years in prison for her involvement in the torture and murder of Sam Nordquist.

MacBride said it’s too early to say how many years the prosecution will argue for in her sentencing. He didn’t specify Motyka’s actions but noted that she cooperated in this process and showed remorse.

“She described a series of events that she engaged in between January 1st of 2025 and I believe February 2nd of 2025. Some, quite frankly, some heinous things that she participated in. And this is a plea and a sentence that she certainly earned,” MacBride said.

MacBride called Motyka “cooperative” and “remorseful” throughout her case. She’s the only one offered a plea deal.

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:

One of seven defendants in Sam Nordquist murder case takes plea deal

One of the seven people accused of killing and torturing Sam Nordquist has pleaded guilty to her charges.

www.whec.com

One of seven defendants in Sam Nordquist murder case takes plea deal​

One of the seven people accused of killing and torturing Sam Nordquist has pleaded guilty to her charges.

Emily Motyka pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and kidnapping in the second degree. According to the Ontario County District Attorney’s Office, Motyka waived her right to appeal as part of the plea agreement. She will stay in jail pending sentencing and won’t be eligible for release on bail.

Motyka was 19 at the time of the murder and is now 20. District Attorney Jason MacBride said she faces at least 15 years and up to 50 years in prison for her involvement in the torture and murder of Sam Nordquist.

MacBride said it’s too early to say how many years the prosecution will argue for in her sentencing. He didn’t specify Motyka’s actions but noted that she cooperated in this process and showed remorse.

“She described a series of events that she engaged in between January 1st of 2025 and I believe February 2nd of 2025. Some, quite frankly, some heinous things that she participated in. And this is a plea and a sentence that she certainly earned,” MacBride said.

MacBride called Motyka “cooperative” and “remorseful” throughout her case. She’s the only one offered a plea deal.

Click to expand...

This better be tied to her testifying against the others.

Two down.

TikTok girlfriend pleads guilty to all charges in Sam Nordquist murder​

Precious Arzuaga, the apparent ringleader in the brutal killing of an Oakdale man in upstate New York, has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, kidnapping and a slew of other charges, according to news reports.

Arzuaga admitted to torturing Nordquist physically and psychologically for around a month before he died in February of 2025, reported the Rochester, N.Y. outlet News10NBC.

Arzuaga, 40, is expected to be sentenced on Sept. 4. Jury selection was planned for August, but the plea waives her right to a jury trial.

Four down, three to go.

Fourth defendant pleads guilty in Sam Nordquist murder case
A fourth defendant has pleaded guilty in the killing of Sam Nordquist.

Kyle Sage, 35, appeared stoic Friday morning in Ontario County Court as he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping.


Seven defendants were charged with murder in the case. Three of them — Emily Motyka, Precious Arzuaga and Jennifer Quijano — also pleaded guilty in recent months. The other three defendants — Patrick Goodwin, Kimberly Sochia and Thomas Eaves — are awaiting separate trials.

Mother of ringleader in Sam Nordquist murder case arrested
The mother of the woman described by prosecutors as the ringleader in the torture and murder of a transgender man in Ontario County has been arrested, District Attorney Jason MacBride told 13WHAM.

MacBride said Shirley Morales, 56, mother of Precious Arzuaga, was arrested Friday by New York State Police. It was unclear why she was arrested.


Mother of ringleader in Sam Nordquist murder case charged with kidnapping, conspiracy
The mother of the woman described by prosecutors as the ringleader in the torture and murder of a transgender man in Ontario County now faces charges in the same case.

Shirley Morales, mother of Precious Arzuaga, was arraigned Monday after a grand jury indicted her on charges of first- and second-degree kidnapping and second-degree conspiracy in connection with Sam Nordquist's death.

District Attorney Jason MacBride said Morales, 56, of Geneva was arrested Friday by New York State Police. She pleaded not guilty Monday and was held in Ontario County Jail without bail.

According to the indictment, Morales confined and physically assaulted Nordquist — even using objects to cover his face — between Dec. 31, 2024 and Feb. 1, 2025.

Morales also formulated a plan to transport Nordquist from Patty's Lodge in Hopewell in the trunk of a vehicle and keep him at an apartment on Castle Street in Geneva, and agreed to alert her co-conspirators if Nordquists tried to leave, according to the indictment.

"It wasn't until now that we felt comfortable and that we had enough evidence to go before a grand jury and present these facts," Assistant District Attorney Sara Van Strydonck said.

Sam Nordquist case: Mother of convicted defendant charged with kidnapping​

Madison Scott
New York Connect Team
Updated Nov. 2, 2026, 4:01 p.m. ET

Shirley Morales, the mother of Precious Arzuaga, who was convicted in the torture and murder of 24-year-old Sam Nordquist, has been charged with kidnapping and conspiracy in connection with the case.

Morales, 56, is also the grandmother of Thomas Eaves, another defendant in the case. She was arraigned Monday in Ontario County Court on first- and second-degree kidnapping charges and second-degree conspiracy. She pleaded not guilty.

Morales, who lived at a Castle Street apartment in Geneva where New York State Police interviewed several defendants early in the investigation into Nordquist's disappearance, was arrested by state police Friday, Oct. 30, following a sealed indictment.

The indictment was unsealed Monday, when Morales was arraigned in Ontario County Court on three charges:

First-degree kidnapping
Second-degree conspiracy
Second-degree kidnapping

The indictment alleges that between Dec. 31, 2024, and Feb. 1, 2025, Morales, acting alone or with another person, abducted Nordquist and that he died during the abduction or before he was able to be returned to safety.

The indictment also lists 12 alleged overt acts connected with the conspiracy charge:

Keeping Nordquist confined.
Forcing Nordquist to stand or kneel facing a wall.
Hitting, kicking, punching or otherwise physically assaulting Nordquist.
Using objects to cover Nordquist's face.
Physically restraining Nordquist.
On Jan. 28, 2025, formulating a plan to keep Nordquist confined at 265 Castle St. in Geneva.
On Jan. 28, 2025, transporting Nordquist in the trunk of a vehicle from Patty's Lodge in Hopewell to 265 Castle St.
Forcing Nordquist to cover his face during the trip to Geneva and while at 265 Castle St.
On Jan. 28, 2025, confining Nordquist to the upstairs apartment at 265 Castle St.
On Jan. 28, 2025, agreeing to keep Nordquist confined in the apartment for a period of time.
On Jan. 28, 2025, agreeing to alert co-conspirators if Nordquist attempted to leave the apartment.
On Jan. 28, 2025, transporting Nordquist in the trunk of a vehicle from 265 Castle St. back to Patty's Lodge in Hopewell.

Morales appeared before Ontario County Judge Kristina Karle with her attorney, John Gilsenan, and pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

The new indictment means three generations of the same family have now faced criminal charges connected to the Nordquist case.

Arzuaga, Morales' daughter, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in September after admitting her role in Nordquist's torture and death.

Eaves, Morales' grandson and Arzuaga's son, is among the defendants awaiting trial.