The woman accused of being the “mastermind” in the murder of transgender man Sam Nordquist in upstate New York has pleaded guilty to state charges and agreed to a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Precious Arzuaga, 40, faces 11 charges, including first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy, first-degree aggravated sexual abuse and concealment of a corpse for her role in restraining Nordquist, torturing her inside a Hopewell motel room and disposing of her body in the winter of 2025.
She was charged with second-degree murder; satisfaction Due to her guilty plea to a first-degree murder charge.
Arzuaga also pleaded guilty to two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of first-degree coercion for forcing two children, ages 7 and 12 at the time, to participate in the abuse along with six other adults.
Arzuaga could still face a federal trial and could be sentenced to death if federal prosecutors pursue the death penalty on the murder charge. New York does not have the death penalty for state crimes, but those sentenced to death in federal court may be sentenced to death.
Before accepting Arzuaga’s guilty plea, Ontario County Court Judge Christina Carle warned Arzuaga that agreeing to the maximum sentence would not affect any federal case.
Arzuaga showed no emotion or visible signs of remorse during his previous court appearance, the report said. syracuse.com She bowed her head and cried quietly as Ontario County Assistant District Attorney James Nobles read the charges. In it, Nordquist describes how she was abused by a group of seven adults, many of whom were members of the LGBTQ community.
According to NBC NewsNordquist met Arzuaga online before traveling from her home in Red Wing, Minn., to the suburb of Canandaigua in New York’s Finger Lakes region to visit her. His mother, Linda Nordquist, became worried when he didn’t return home as planned and stopped responding to calls and texts.
The next day, Linda Nordquist contacted the New York State Police and requested a health check on Room 22 of Patty’s Lodge, a motel used as temporary housing for people facing financial hardship. When the police arrived, Sam told them he was fine and didn’t need help. He then called his mother and told her that he wanted to remain in New York to continue their relationship.
Over the next several months, Nordquist had less and less contact with friends and family in Minnesota, only resuming contact when her mother threatened to request additional medical tests. Linda Nordquist believes her son was under Arzuaga’s control and that police missed signs of abuse and distress.
Social services workers later told Linda Nordquist that Sam wanted to return to Minnesota and had an “escape plan” in place, but he did not show up for subsequent meetings. He called his mother one last time on New Year’s Day, but never heard from her again.
According to prosecutors, Arzuaga locked Nordquist in Room 22 from January 1, 2025 to February 1, 2025, with the help of six other people. Among them were his on-again, off-again girlfriend, his adult son, his girlfriend, and two registered sex offenders. Prosecutors said the group repeatedly assaulted, tortured and sexually assaulted the 24-year-old, starved him, forced him to drink feces, urine and cigarette spit, doused him with bleach and thrusted foreign objects into his body.
After Nordquist died from his injuries, some members of the group disposed of his body to cover up the crime. When state troopers conducted a welfare check on Feb. 9, Arzuaga said she had ended her relationship with Nordquist and had left the area several weeks earlier.
Nordquist’s body, wrapped in a plastic bag, was discovered by authorities on February 13 in rural Yates County, about 20 minutes from Hopewell.
Ontario County District Attorney Jason McBride said Arzuaga’s plea does not change his plans to prosecute the remaining five defendants.
Kayla Nordquist, Sam’s sister, told Syracuse.com that she believes Arzuaga always intended to kill her brother and questions his motives for pleading guilty.
“I don’t know why she suddenly feels so guilty,” Kayla Nordquist said. “She wasn’t guilty when she was raping him, beating him and starving him. She didn’t feel guilty then, and I don’t think she feels guilty now.”
She said she believed Mr. Arzuaga was “trying to save himself” by avoiding a federal trial and possible death penalty.
Arzuaga’s attorney, William Swift, declined to comment on his client’s motive for his guilty plea when asked by Syracuse.com.
Arzuaga is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4th.
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
