Staff Report / September 8, 2026
CANANDAIGUA — Two defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with the kidnapping, torture, and murder of 24-year-old Sam Nordquist are scheduled to be sentenced today, September 8, in Ontario County Court.
Jennifer Quijano and Precious Arzuaga are both expected to receive sentences of life in prison without parole after admitting to all charges against them. Investigators revealed that Nordquist, a Minnesota native, was subjected to weeks of severe abuse between January 1 and February 2, 2025, before his body was later located in a field in Yates County. Quijano and Arzuaga are among seven individuals charged in connection with Nordquist’s death, though their cases have proceeded separately.
Key details regarding the charges and courtroom proceedings include:
- Jennifer Quijano: Pleaded guilty in July before Judge Kristina Karle to first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy, first-degree aggravated sexual abuse, concealing a human corpse, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
- Precious Arzuaga: Nordquist’s former girlfriend, Arzuaga pleaded guilty in June to all 11 charges listed in her indictment, including first-degree murder.
- Sentence Expectation: Both defendants face life sentences without the possibility of parole.
