Sam Nordquist Case Update: Guilty Pleas, Sentencing Dates, and Prison Time

Last updated: July 17, 2026

Searches for the Sam Nordquist case are trending again this week after a third defendant, Jennifer Quijano, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and every other count against her on July 15, 2026. Three of the seven people charged in the torture and killing of the 24-year-old transgender man from Minnesota have now admitted their guilt in an Ontario County, New York courtroom, and two of them are expected to receive life in prison without the possibility of parole this September.

Who Was Sam Nordquist?

Sam Nordquist was a 24-year-old transgender man from Oakdale, Minnesota. In September 2024 he traveled to the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, where he stayed at Patty’s Lodge, a motel in the town of Hopewell in Ontario County. What began as a trip to meet someone he had connected with online ended in one of the most disturbing criminal cases New York has seen in years.

What Happened to Sam Nordquist?

According to prosecutors, Nordquist was held captive and subjected to prolonged physical and psychological abuse at the motel between January 1 and February 2, 2025. Investigators say he endured weeks of beatings, torture, and sexual abuse at the hands of multiple people before he died. His body was found on February 13, 2025, wrapped in plastic in a field in neighboring Yates County.

Seven people were ultimately charged in connection with his kidnapping, torture, and murder. The most serious charge, first-degree murder, is reserved in New York for killings with special aggravating circumstances, including murders involving torture.

Where the Seven Defendants Stand

Precious Arzuaga, described by prosecutors as the ringleader, pleaded guilty on June 26, 2026 to every charge against her, including first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, concealment of a human corpse, conspiracy, coercion, and endangering the welfare of a child. There was no plea deal — she received nothing in exchange for her plea. She is expected to be sentenced on September 4, 2026 to life in prison without parole.

Jennifer Quijano, also known as “Brooklyn,” pleaded guilty on July 15, 2026 to all counts, including first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy, first-degree aggravated sexual abuse, concealment of a human corpse, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Her sentencing is scheduled for September 8, 2026, and she is also expected to receive life without parole.

Emily Motyka was the first to plead guilty, on June 2, 2026, accepting a plea deal on second-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping. She faces a minimum of 15 years to life and a maximum of 50 years to life in prison.

The remaining four defendants — Kyle Sage, Patrick Goodwin, Kimberly Sochia, and Thomas Eaves — have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting separate trials.

The case is trending because guilty pleas have come in quick succession over the past six weeks: Motyka on June 2, Arzuaga on June 26, and now Quijano on July 15. With three admissions of guilt on the record and two life-without-parole sentences expected in early September, national attention has returned to the case as it moves from the trial phase toward sentencing and the remaining prosecutions.

What Prison Time They Face Under New York Law

New York abolished the death penalty, so life imprisonment without parole is the harshest sentence available in the state. It is reserved for first-degree murder convictions, which require aggravating factors such as torture, murder during a kidnapping, or killing a witness. A defendant sentenced to life without parole in New York will never appear before a parole board and will die in custody unless the conviction is overturned or clemency is granted.

Those convicted in this case will serve their time in the New York state prison system, run by the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), rather than the federal system, because murder and kidnapping are state crimes prosecuted by the county district attorney. New York’s state system includes well-known maximum-security facilities such as Clinton Correctional Facility and Sing Sing Correctional Facility; women sentenced to maximum-security terms in New York are typically housed at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester County. By contrast, Motyka’s sentence of 15-to-life to 50-to-life means she will eventually be eligible for parole hearings, where a board will decide whether she can be released after serving her minimum term. You can learn more about how state prisons, sentencing, and parole work across the country at US Prison Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has pleaded guilty in the Sam Nordquist case?

Three of the seven defendants have pleaded guilty: Emily Motyka on June 2, 2026 (second-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping), Precious Arzuaga on June 26, 2026 (all counts, including first-degree murder), and Jennifer Quijano on July 15, 2026 (all counts, including first-degree murder).

When will the defendants be sentenced?

Precious Arzuaga is due to be sentenced on September 4, 2026, and Jennifer Quijano on September 8, 2026. Both are expected to receive life in prison without the possibility of parole.

What happened to Sam Nordquist?

Prosecutors say the 24-year-old was held at a motel in Hopewell, New York, and subjected to weeks of torture and abuse between January 1 and February 2, 2025. His body was found in a field in Yates County on February 13, 2025.

Will the defendants go to state or federal prison?

State prison. The charges are New York state crimes prosecuted in Ontario County Court, so anyone convicted will serve their sentence in a New York DOCCS facility, not a federal prison.

What about the other four defendants?

Kyle Sage, Patrick Goodwin, Kimberly Sochia, and Thomas Eaves have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting separate trials. Their cases remain pending in Ontario County.