Staff Report / July 16, 2026
CANANDAIGUA – A third defendant has admitted her role in the horrific kidnapping, torture, and murder of 24-year-old Sam Nordquist, marking another major milestone in a case that has deeply shaken the Finger Lakes community. Appearing in Ontario County Court on Wednesday before Judge Kristina Karle, Jennifer Quijano pleaded guilty to every count in her indictment. The charges stem from the prolonged, systematic abuse of the Minnesota native between January 1 and February 2, 2025, which ultimately culminated in his death and the covert dumping of his body.
The extensive list of charges to which Quijano admitted guilt includes
- first-degree murder
- two counts of first-degree kidnapping
- first-degree aggravated sexual abuse
- concealing a human corpse
- conspiracy and child endangerment charges.
Prosecutors allege that Nordquist traveled to Canandaigua in late 2024 to meet Precious Arzuaga, the accused ringleader, whom he had met online. Nordquist was living with Arzuaga in Hopewell before disappearing, sparking a state police investigation that ended with the grim discovery of his remains in a Benton field on February 13, 2025. District Attorney Jason MacBride lauded the work of his prosecution team and state police, noting that the plea marks a significant step toward delivering justice for Nordquist’s grieving family.
Quijano, scheduled for sentencing on September 8, is the third of seven co-defendants to plead guilty. She joins Emily Motyka, who admitted to second-degree murder on June 2, and Arzuaga, who pleaded guilty to ten felony counts on June 26. While the first wave of perpetrators awaits sentencing in early September, the Ontario County District Attorney’s Office maintains that it is relentlessly pursuing convictions for the remaining four defendants, Kimberly Sochia, Patrick Goodwin, Kyle Sage, and Thomas Eaves whose charges remain pending.
