A chilling detail has emerged in the investigation of the death of Sam Nordquist, whose body was discovered last week in a field in Yates County. Among the five individuals charged in connection with the case is Patrick Goodwin, a registered Level 3 sex offender.
Goodwin, of Canandaigua, was convicted in 2015 of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy. He served a prison sentence of just over ten years and was released on parole in June 2023, according to reports from NewsChannel 8 in Rochester. His parole status at the time of his arrest raises questions about the supervision and monitoring of released sex offenders.
The circumstances surrounding Nordquist’s death remain under investigation. The 24-year-old was reported missing by family members in Minnesota, who had not heard from him since January. He had been residing with another suspect, Precious Arzuaga, at Patty’s Place in Hopewell prior to his disappearance.
Arzuaga, also of Canandaigua, has a criminal record that includes four misdemeanor convictions for trespass and larceny. Another suspect, Kyle Sage of Rochester, was convicted of larceny and disseminating indecent material to a minor. Like Goodwin, Sage was also on parole at the time of his arrest. The names of the remaining two suspects have not yet been released.
The discovery of Nordquist’s body in Yates County last Thursday has prompted a multi-jurisdictional investigation involving the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, the Yates County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police. Investigators are tight-lipped about the specifics of the case, but the revelation of Goodwin’s status as a Level 3 sex offender has added a layer of complexity and concern to the proceedings. Level 3 signifies the highest risk of re-offending under New York’s sex offender classification system.
The connection between the suspects and the nature of their relationship with Nordquist is still being investigated. Authorities have not yet released a motive for the alleged crime. The community remains on edge as the investigation progresses and more details emerge in this disturbing case.
