Police are still investigating the brutal death of 24-year-old transgender man Sam Nordquist, a death xthat has rocked the LGBTQ+ community amid heightened political hostility for transgender people.
Nordquist, originally from Minnesota, was first reported missing by family on Feb. 9, after his family became concerned that they hadn’t heard from him, the Ontario County District Attorney’s office said in a Feb. 14 press conference. According to the State Police’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Captain Kelly Smith, Nordquist was the victim of “prolonged physical and psychological abuse” and “repeated acts” of violence and torture. His body was discarded in a field, where police later found it. “In my 20-year law enforcement career, this is one of the most horrific crimes I have ever investigated,” Smith added. The news comes in the midst of a hostile political environment for transgender Americans, who the Trump administration has targeted through anti-trans policies in education, healthcare, military service, and even official government documents.
Five people have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The Ontario County DA’s office identified them as Jennifer A. Quijano, 30; Kyle Sage, 33; Patrick A. Goodwin, 30; Emily Motyka, 19; and “Precious Arzuaga, 38. Police also said Nordquist was living with at least one of the alleged killers prior to his death, but they will not be releasing more specific details to “protect the integrity of [their] case.” (Representatives for the defendants could not be reached.)
On Sunday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced she had directed the New York State Division of Human Rights Hate and Bias Prevention Unit to aid with the case. “All New Yorkers should join together to condemn this horrific act,” she said in a statement. “We are praying for Sam Nordquist’s family, community, and loved ones who are experiencing unimaginable grief.” But investigators announced Tuesday that Nordquist’s death will not be treated as a hate crime as “some or all” of his alleged killers were members of the LGBTQ+ community, the New York Times reports. Police have also urged people to avoid speculation about his death.
Nordquist’s mother, Linda, described her son as a man with a romantic heart and told Syracuse.com that Nordquist left home to pursue a romantic relationship. She and her family are raising funds on GoFundMe so she can stay in New York and bring Nordquist’s body back home.
“That’s all Sam ever wanted, was to be loved and to be in a relationship,” she said. “Sam was a wonderful person that did not deserve this. No human being deserves this.”