CANANDAIGUA, NY — A 24-year-old transgender man, Sam Nordquist, was brutally tortured for several weeks before his death, New York State Police revealed. Nordquist, who was reported missing in February, became the center of a grim homicide investigation following the discovery of his remains in a rural field.
In a news conference held Friday, trooper Lynnea Crane announced the arrest of five individuals connected to Nordquist’s murder, following a detailed police search at Patty’s Lodge Motel in Canandaigua, where he was last known to reside. The arrests occurred on February 13, with investigators tying the suspects to acts of violence against Nordquist from early December 2024 through February 2025.
“The level of brutality here is unlike anything I’ve seen,” said Capt. Kelly Swift, head of Troop E’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Swift described the repeated violence and torture that Nordquist endured, leading to a fatal outcome. Originally from Minnesota, Nordquist had moved to New York’s Finger Lakes region in September, seeking to start anew.
Authorities later located Nordquist’s body in neighboring Yates County. According to Swift, the suspects had transported the body from the motel in an effort to conceal their crime, complicating the investigation.
Swift, with over two decades in law enforcement, confessed that the nature of this crime was particularly disturbing. “It’s one of the most horrific cases that I’ve ever come across,” she remarked during the press briefing.
The five suspects, whose identities have not been disclosed pending legal processes, face charges of second-degree murder. They are currently awaiting their arraignment.
The community has been left shaken by the brutality of the crime, sparking conversations about safety and justice for transgender individuals, who statistically face higher rates of violence. Local advocacy groups have called for more protective measures and awareness to combat violence against transgender people.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the focus remains on ensuring justice for Nordquist and addressing the broader implications of such targeted violence within the community.