The Geneva community will gather Tuesday evening to remember Sam Nordquist, the victim of a brutal crime that has shocked law enforcement officials. A candlelight vigil will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Geneva Welcome Center, located at 35 Lakefront Drive.
Nordquist, originally from Minnesota, was reported missing last week, and his case has since become a depraved indifference homicide investigation. New York State Police Captain Kelly Swift, of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, described the crime as “the most horrific” she has encountered in her 20-year career. Ontario County District Attorney James Ritts echoed this sentiment, calling the case one of the most disturbing he has ever investigated.
Authorities revealed that Nordquist suffered prolonged physical and psychological abuse at the hands of multiple individuals, which ultimately led to his death. His body was discovered on February 13 in a field off Payne Road in Benton, Yates County, after being left there in an alleged attempt to conceal the crime. The official cause of death has not yet been released.
Linda Nordquist, Sam’s mother, told Rochester First that she had advised her son against traveling to the Finger Lakes region to meet someone he had connected with online. He arrived in the area in September 2024, and his last communication with his mother was in January 2025.
Five individuals were arrested on February 13 and charged with second-degree murder under the depraved indifference statute. The charge carries a potential sentence of 15 years to life in prison without parole. The accused are Jennifer Quijano, 30, of Geneva; Precious Arzuaga, 38, of Canandaigua; Emily Moytyka, 19, of Lima; Kyle Sage, 33, of Rochester; and Patrick Goodwin, 30, of Canandaigua. All five are currently held without bail in the Ontario County Jail.
A review of court records reveals that several of the defendants have prior criminal convictions. Goodwin was convicted of a first-degree criminal sex act against a child in 2014 and served a prison sentence. Arzuaga has a record including animal cruelty charges and filing a false instrument with the Department of Social Services. Sage’s record includes convictions for first-degree criminal contempt and charges related to disseminating indecent material to minors and grand larceny.
The community is invited to attend the vigil to show support for the Nordquist family and to remember Sam’s life. Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to contact the New York State Police at 585-398-4100.
