New York police charge five with 'disturbing' murder of trans man

Five people were charged by New York State police with the murder of a missing transgender man, whom authorities say was tortured for more than a month.

Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old originally from Minnesota, was reported missing on 9 February. He had arrived in New York in September and later lost contact with loved ones, police said.

In a televised news conference on Friday, police said the case is "one of the most horrific crimes" they had ever seen and that Nordquist was subjected to "deeply disturbing" abuse for several months, starting in December.

All five suspects are being held in police custody, and all are facing second-degree murder charges.

The accused, all from the area near where Nordquist's body was discovered in northern New York, are: Precious Arzuaga, Patrick Goodwin, Kyle Sage, Jennifer Quijano, and Emily Motyka. They range in age from 19 to 38.

It is unclear if any of the five suspects had obtained a lawyer. In the US legal system, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

Police said Nordquist's body was discovered in a field on Thursday in the town of Benton, located around 53 miles (85 kilometres) southeast of Rochester.

They said they searched a room about 20 miles away from where the body was found, where they uncovered that Nordquist had suffered "prolonged physical and psychological abuse at the hands of multiple individuals" from early December until this month.

Police said they believe the victim lived at a motel with one of the suspects and others. They did not offer many specific details, saying their investigation is ongoing.

But Major Kevin Sucher of the New York State Police said the facts and circumstances of the case were "beyond depraved" and "by far the worst" homicide investigation his office had undertaken.

"No human being should have to endure what Sam endured," Major Sucher said.

Asked if the death is being treated as a hate crime, police said they had not ruled it out but added that their investigation remains active.

Captain Kelly Swift with the New York State Police said police are still working to determine Nordquist's relationship with the suspects, as well as the suspects' relationship with one another.

The death has been met with shock and anguish by members of the LGBTQ community.

Rochester LGBTQ+ Together, a local advocacy group, said it was "angered and disgusted" to learn about the murder.

"The epidemic of violence against Trans folx in this country is a direct consequence of the ignorance and hatred that permeate our society," the group said.

In a statement, three Rochester city council members - Mary Lupien, Stanley Martin and Kim Smith - said that hostility toward transgender people is rising.

"We reaffirm our commitment to protecting Trans rights, ensuring safety for all and wish to make clear that you belong—fully, openly, and without fear," they wrote.

A 2021 study released by University of California, Los Angeles revealed that transgender people are over four times more likely than others to experience violence.