Vigils honor life of Sam Nordquist, trans man tortured and killed in upstate New York

Vigils are scheduled Tuesday night to honor the life of Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender man tortured and killed in upstate New York.

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Both are being held from 6 to 8 p.m., one at the Presbyterian Church in Geneva, N.Y., and the other at the Phelps Art Center the nearby town of Phelps, Rochester TV station WHEC reports.

“Let us gather as a community to receive the power of hope, honor the beauty of love, stand united against the darkness of hatred, grieve the loss of a beloved child of God, and commit to building a world of kindness, justice, and care for all,” says a statement on the Presbyterian Church’s website. The vigil is being livestreamed on YouTube.

Also, there will be a vigil Friday in New York City, organized by the New Pride Agenda, PFLAG-NY, the Ali Forney Center, New York Transgender Advocacy Group, Reclaim Pride Coalition, and Trans Formative Schools. It will honor Nordquist and other trans and gender-nonconforming people lost to violence. It will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Church of the Village.

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Nordquist’s body was found Thursday in a field in Benton, N.Y., about 15 miles from Patty’s Lodge, a motel in Canandaigua where he had been staying since last fall, The New York Times reports. He had worked at Riesco group homes for people with disabilities, based in Little Canada, Minn., and lived in Oakdale, Minn., before traveling to the Finger Lakes section of New York to be with a girlfriend he had met online. He had been repeatedly tortured since December, police said.

“In my 20-year law enforcement career, this is one of the most horrific crimes I have ever investigated,” Captain Kelly Swift of the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations said at a press conference Friday.

“Our investigation has revealed a deeply disturbing pattern of abuse that ultimately resulted in Sam’s tragic death,” Swift said. “Sam was subjected to repeated acts of violence and torture in a manner that ultimately led to his death.”

Nordquist’s family reported him missing several weeks ago. He was last seen in Canandaigua, N.Y.

“He would give you the shirt off his back,” his mother, Linda Nordquist, told local TV station WROC. “Very kind, loved his family, loved his nieces and nephew, very outgoing, worked hard.” She had warned him not to go to New York, she told The Post-Standard of Syracuse.

Authorities arrested five suspects after conducting a search of Patty’s Lodge. Precious Arzuaga, 38; Kyle Sage, 33; Jennifer Quijano, 30; Patrick Goodwin, 30; and Emily Motyka, 19, were charged with second-degree murder.

Hundreds of people attended a vigil Monday night at the Wood Library in Canandaigua, with the town’s Unitarian Universalist Church acting as an overflow room where the vigil was available on Zoom. More than 220 people gathered across the two locations, WHEC reports. The event was organized by Family Counseling of the Finger Lakes.

“I just want his family to know that there were periods of time where Sam was … he was OK,” Danni Scott, a fellow trans man who knew Nordquist, said at the vigil, according to WHEC.

“Before Sam’s death, I was not very open about being a trans man, but seeing Sam’s story makes me want to be more open,” he continued, adding, “Sam’s life mattered. And if there is any type of hate crime, this would be one.”

The Ontario County district attorney and local police issued a statement saying they have “no indication that this murder was a hate crime at this time.” The investigation is ongoing.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul released a statement saying she has “directed State Police to provide any and all support and resources to the District Attorney as they continue their investigation, including into whether this was a hate crime. Additionally, the New York State Office of Victim Services at my direction has contacted local officials to connect the victim’s family with services and support. I have also directed the New York State Division of Human Rights Hate and Bias Prevention Unit to offer assistance and support to all community members affected by this terrible act of violence. There must be justice for Sam Nordquist.”

Nordquist's family is remembering him fondly. "His sister Kayla, 31, said he was a silly person who never missed the birthdays of her son and two daughters, and liked to escort them while trick-or-treating on Halloween," The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

“I have seen [on social media] things that have been done to Sam, and I don’t want people to remember Sam like that,” she told the paper. “He was beautiful, and he was handsome. And that’s how people should remember him — not for what happened to him.”

The Nordquist family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for their travel, lodging, and other expenses associated with their trip to New York.

Linda Nordquist told the Star Tribune that when going into St. Paul, Sam would often point out the governor's mansion and ask if that was where Gov. Tim Walz lived. “I’d say, ‘Yes, Sam, it is,’” she said. “‘You’ve been by it a hundred times; you should know where he lives.‘”

Walz, the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president, posted a statement about Sam's death on X. "This is deeply disturbing," he wrote. "Minnesota stands with our LGBTQ neighbors against this unthinkable crime. I’m grateful to the law enforcement agencies investigating. Gwen and I send our deepest condolences to Sam’s family and community."

Other public officials issuing statements of outrage over the crime include New York Attorney General Letitia James, who posted on Bluesky, This is beyond horrifying, and those responsible for this terrible act must be held accountable. My heart is with Sam’s family, loved ones, and the entire LGBTQ+ community."

Minnesota state Rep. Leigh Finke, who is trans, posted on Instagram, "I am sorry, Sam. You deserved a whole life, full of love and joy peace, and you instead received the cruelest violence imaginable."

Upstate New York activists speaking out include Javannah Davis, president and founder of WAVE Women in Rochester, an organization that supports trans and gender-nonconforming people of color, who shared this statement with The Advocate: “Sam Nordquist’s killing is a heartbreaking and devastating loss for our community in Central New York, and across the country Sam’s death comes days after the murder of Tahiry Broom, a Transgender Woman who was brutally murdered in Southfield, Michigan.

"Sam’s life mattered, Tahiry’s life mattered, and their presence will not be forgotten by so many. We continue to demand justice for Sam and all of our Trans/GNC siblings who have been taken from us in such violent ways by individuals that disregarded them as human beings. So many want to see harm and erasure come to Transgender/GNC people, but we have always been here, the fight started with us, and together will always fight to keep each other safe.”

There are several resources for trans people in Monroe County, which includes Rochester, Davis said. These include:

• Trillium Health – Offering gender-affirming healthcare, mental health services, and support groups.

• Out Alliance (now part of Trillium’s LGBTQ+ services) – Providing advocacy, education, and peer support.

• MOCHA Center – Focused on the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people of color.

• Next Generation Men of Transition – Supporting trans men and transmasculine individuals.

• WAVE Women Inc. – Uplifting trans and GNC people of color through leadership, advocacy, and empowerment programs.

• Willow Domestic Violence Center – Offering crisis support and housing assistance, including for LGBTQ+ survivors.

Brittan Hardgers, president of Next Generation Men of Transition, shared this statement: "The tragic murder of Sam Nordquist does not exist in isolation. It highlights the ongoing crisis of violence against trans people, even here in New York State. We have witnessed an alarming rise in hatred and fearmongering ... and this act of violence is a direct consequence of a society that continually denies dignity, safety, and respect to trans individuals.

"No one should live in fear of losing their life simply for being who they are. No one should be tortured, murdered, and discarded miles away from their loved ones because of their identity. This is a devastating loss not only for Sam's family and friends but for the entire trans community."

This is not simply a trans issue but a human issue, Hardgers added. He called for "stronger policies, more resources, and investment in trans wellness and equity programs."

"Our community is exhausted by this cycle of violence, but we remain steadfast in our fight for justice," he continued. "My deepest condolences go out to Sam's loved ones in New York and Minnesota. As we gather to honor Sam's life in vigils across the state, I urge everyone to not only grieve but to act because our survival should not be up for debate."

GLAAD urged police not to be swift in ruling out the possibility of a hate crime, and its president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, released this statement: “Our hearts are broken over the loss of Sam Nordquist. Sam was more than just a statistic— he was a son, a brother, a friend, and a bright light in the lives of those who knew him. His life was stolen from him after enduring unspeakable cruelty. We stand in solidarity with Sam’s family, friends, and community as they demand justice. We refuse to let Sam’s story fade into silence. We demand accountability, we demand justice, and we demand a world where transgender people are safe, respected, and able to live freely.”

From OutFront Minnesota and its partners: “OutFront Minnesota and our community partners mourn the loss of Sam Nordquist. We mourn his loss and share our deepest sympathies with all those who were close to him. We know this arrives at a time our trans communities are facing a relentless assault of harmful policy and rhetoric across our nation. We know that this landscape escalates and amplifies the individual risk of violence. Trans lives matter, and we must all commit ourselves to the work of ending violence and discrimination. In Minnesota, and beyond."

And from the New Pride Agenda in New York: “We are devastated and enraged by the horrific murder of Sam Nordquist, a Minnesotan whose life was brutally taken in the Finger Lakes region after enduring weeks of torture. While arrests have been made, we know this is not an isolated incident—it is a tragic consequence of the rising culture of hate in our society. We must continue to fight for a world where all LGBTQ+ people are safe, valued, and free from violence.”