New York State Police launched a missing persons investigation for Sam Nordquist on February 9, following a welfare check request from his family, according to a news release Friday.
Human remains believed to be those of Nordquist were discovered on February 13 in a field in Yates County, about 50 miles southeast of Rochester.
Law enforcement officials then discovered evidence suggesting that Nordquist “was subjected to ongoing physical abuse” between December 2024 and February 2025, according to the release.
“Sam was subjected to repeated acts of violence and torture in a manner that ultimately led to his death,” Capt. Kelly Swift with the New York State Police said at a Friday news conference.
His body was moved “in an attempt to conceal the crime,” Swift added.
Swift described the case as “one of the most horrific crimes” she has ever investigated in her 20-year law enforcement career.
Five people, ranging in age from 19 to 38, have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder with depraved indifference, according to the release. Police identified the suspects as Precious Arzuaga, 38; Jennifer A. Quijano, 30; Kyle Sage, 33; Patrick A. Goodwin, 30; and Emily Motyka, 19.
Investigators are still working to understand the relationships between the five suspects and Nordquist, according to Swift.
CNN has reached out to the attorneys of the suspects for comment.
The suspects were arraigned Friday morning and are being held at the Ontario County Jail without bail, Ontario County District Attorney Jame Ritts said at the news conference.
Each suspect could face anywhere from 15 years to life in prison if convicted, Ritts said.
The Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy to determine how Nordquist died, according to New York State Police.
Nordquist traveled to New York in September to meet an “online girlfriend,” according to a verified GoFundMe set up by his family. Nordquist’s friends and family hadn’t heard from him since January 1, according to the fundraiser.
Investigators haven’t ruled out classifying the murder as a hate crime or making additional arrests, Swift said Friday.
“The facts and the circumstances of this crime are beyond depraved,” Ritts said. “No human being should have to endure what Sam endured.”
In 2023, there were 35 homicides of “transgender or gender-expansive people,” according to a report from Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund.
Several Rochester City Council members expressed their condolences to Nordquist’s family and their support for the transgender community in a joint news release.
“Our Trans and LGBTQIA+ residents are, and have always been, integral to the fabric of our communities,” reads the release from councilmembers Mary Lupien, Stanley Martin, and Kim Smith.
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