‘Ringleader’ in murder of trans man Sam Nordquist pleads guilty
Sam Nordquist (Instagram/everytown)
The woman described by prosecutors as the “ringleader” in the torture and murder of Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old Black transgender man, has pleaded guilty to all charges.
Precious Arzuaga, 38, admitted to first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, concealment of a human corpse, conspiracy, coercion and endangering the welfare of a child at Ontario County Court in New York on Friday (26 June).
She is expected to be sentenced on 4 September to life in prison without parole.
Nordquist, from Oakdale, Minnesota, travelled to upstate New York in September 2024 to meet Arzuaga. He never returned home.
Prosecutors say he was subjected to weeks of abuse by Arzuaga and six others before his body was found in a field in February 2025. His family had reported him missing days earlier.
The coercion charges relate to Arzuaga forcing two children, aged seven and 12, to participate in the abuse. Notably, she received no plea deal in exchange for admitting guilt. “There was no plea deal… she accepted responsibility,” her attorney William Smith said, as per WHAM.
District attorney Jason MacBride said what she admitted to was “pure evil,” adding that the plea guarantees she will spend the rest of her life in prison.
Arzuaga is one of seven people charged in the case. Co-defendant Emily Motyka pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping earlier in June. The remaining five, Jennifer Quijano, Kyle Sage, Patrick Goodwin, Thomas Eaves and Kimberly Sochia, are still awaiting trial.
Nordquist’s name has since been added to the Stonewall Wall of Honour in New York City, which recognises LGBTQ+ people who have been killed and leaders of the community.
