April 9, 2025 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Transgender Man Found Dead in New York Field After Torture; Five Arrested for Murder

Brutal Murder of Transgender Man in Upstate New York Sickens Officials

After the Trump administration has continued to target transgender members of the LGBTQ+ community, a transgender man who was reported missing last week suffered repeated acts of violence before being found dead in an upstate New York field, according to New York State Police. 

Sam Nordquist, originally from Minnesota, was reported missing on Feb. 9. Authorities said he had been in New York since September and had lost contact with his family. His family has started a GoFundMe campaign to be able to afford to go to New York State and retrieve his remains. 

Nordquist’s family requested a welfare check, which led investigators to determine that he had been living at Patty’s Lodge in Hopewell with multiple individuals, including one of the suspects, as reported by local news outlets. One of the suspects, Precious Arzuaga, is believed to have been Nordquist’s online girlfriend. 

New York State law enforcement officers uncovered evidence that Nordquist had been subjected to ongoing physical abuse from December 2024 to February 2025, officials said.

Ontario County District Attorney James Ritts said, “No human being should have to endure what Sam endured. This is by far the worst homicide investigation that our office has ever been a part of.” 

In a Feb. 14 news conference, police confirmed that human remains believed to be Nordquist’s were found in a field off Payne Road in Yates County. Nordquist had been subjected to torture, beaten to death, and the killers abandoned his body in a field in an attempt to escape justice. 

“We are here today to provide an update on the case of Sam Nordquist, who was originally reported missing to New York State Police on February 9, 2025,” Trooper Lynnea Crane, public information officer for Troop E, said. “Unfortunately, we must now confirm that this case has transitioned from a missing person investigation to a homicide investigation.”

Five people have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, police said.

The suspects, identified as Precious Arzuaga, 38, and Patrick Goodwin, 30, of Canandaigua; Kyle Sage, 33, of Rochester; Jennifer Quijano, 30, of Geneva; and Emily Motyka, 19, of Lima, are being held pending arraignment without bail. 

According to local news outlet KARE, “Two of the five individuals charged with second-degree murder in Nordquist’s death have prior convictions related to sexual offenses against minors. Patrick Goodwin, 30, was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison in 2015 for first-degree sexual abuse of a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl and Kyle Sage, 33, was sentenced to two to four years in prison in 2022 for fourth-degree grand larceny and first-degree distribution of pornography to a minor. Sage was released from prison in May 2024.

in NEWS
Related Posts

LA Protests Draw Thousands in Rebuke of Trump Administration and Elon Musk’s DOGE Cuts

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

Marches Target Federal Layoffs, Program Cuts, and Attacks on Civil Rights Demonstrators filled city streets across Southern California on Saturday,...

City of West Hollywood to Hold Public Hearing on Future Social Services Programs

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

City Seeks Community Insight on Unmet Needs and Future Program Priorities The City of West Hollywood is inviting residents to...

Louisiana Double Murder Suspect Arrested in Near Culver City With Loaded Guns, Body Armor

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

Marina Del Rey OfficersTraffic Stop Leads to Arrest of Fugitive Wanted in Parents’ Deaths A Louisiana man wanted for the...

A Dozen UCLA Student’s Visas Are Canceled After Federal Crackdown on Political Activism Announced

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

UC International Students Caught in Political Crossfire as Visas Are Pulled Over the past week, more than 36 students and...

Malibu Tech CEO Convicted in $20 Million Investor Celebrity Fraud Scheme

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

Tech CEO Convicted After Lavish Lifestyle Funded by Fake Promises Bernhard Eugen Fritsch, 63, of Malibu, was found guilty late...

Venice Man With Alzheimer’s Reported Missing; Police Seek Public’s Help

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

Richard Hunter, 79, Disappeared After Leaving His Home Saturday Morning Authorities and family members are seeking the public’s help in...

Spring Staycation: Santa Monica Invites Locals with Exclusive Hotel Deals

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

Los Angeles Residents Can Vacation Without Leaving Town Santa Monica Travel & Tourism is inviting Los Angeles County residents to...

West Hollywood Proposes Zoning Overhaul to Tackle Housing Crisis

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

Zoning Changes Could Bring More Affordable Homes to WeHo  In response to the ongoing housing crisis that has left thousands...

BuildStrong is Leading the Effort to Rebuild the Pacific Palisades

April 7, 2025

April 7, 2025

The recent wildfires in the Pacific Palisades caused extensive property damage, leaving many residents unsure about how to move forward....

The BW in Brentwood Sells for $744K Per Unit, Sets New LA Benchmark

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

LA’s Priciest Apartment Deal in Years Just Closed in Brentwood Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), a division of Marcus & Millichap,...

Genghis Cohen Leaving Fairfax Home After Four Decades

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

Chinese Food & Music Spot Genghis Cohen Is on the Move After more than four decades of serving New York-style...

Iconic Studio’s Departure Leaves Century City Facing Major Real Estate Shift

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

Once a Stable Real Estate Base, Century City Now Faces Renewed Uncertainty Century City, long considered a rare stronghold in...

Los Angeles Housing Department Ill-Equipped to Enforce Tenant Harassment Law

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

Thousands of Angelenos Report Harassment, Few Landlords Face Penalties A recent audit by the Los Angeles City Controller has found...

LAHSA CEO Resigns Amid Shift to New County-Led Homeless Department

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

LA Homeless Services Leader Resigns After Accountability Crisis The head of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has stepped down...

WeHo Pride Will Begin with Harvey Milk Day Celebration and José Sarria Drag Pageant

April 4, 2025

April 4, 2025

West Hollywood to Honor LGBTQ+ Icons at Pride Kickoff Event The City of West Hollywood will kick off its WeHo...