The Killing of Sam Nordquist: A Detailed Timeline of One of New York’s Most Disturbing Murder Cases

 Introduction

The killing of Sam Nordquist is one of the most disturbing criminal cases to emerge from upstate New York in recent years. The investigation revealed prolonged abuse, multiple suspects, and circumstances that raised serious questions about vulnerability, isolation, and accountability. This article presents a detailed, fact-based overview of the case - from the first signs that something

Jeffrey Dahmer: Inside the Mind, Crimes, and Capture of America’s Most Notorious Serial Killer

Few names in American criminal history provoke the same visceral reaction as Jeffrey Dahmer. Between 1978 and 1991, Dahmer murdered 17 young men and boys, primarily in Wisconsin. His crimes - marked by manipulation, extreme violence, and a chilling double life - forced the public to confront how a seemingly ordinary person could conceal unimaginable brutality in plain sight.

The Quiet Monster: The Double Life of John List

 

He was the kind of man you’d trust to water your plants while you were on vacation

A quiet accountant from New Jersey, neatly dressed, polite, always on time for church.
His neighbors knew him as a family man - husband, father, provider.
They had no idea that behind the polished smile, John List was planning to erase his entire family from existence.

The Murder of Sam Nordquist: A Month of Terror in Upstate New York

 

It started like any other online connection - a young person looking for friendship, maybe love.
It ended with one of the most horrifying murder cases New York has seen in years.

In February 2025, the body of 24-year-old Sam Nordquist, originally from Red Wing, Minnesota, was found dumped in a field in Yates County, New York. The discovery revealed a story of unimaginable cruelty - weeks of torture, starvation, and humiliation at the hands of people he once trusted.

A Move That Turned Into a Nightmare

In September 2024, Sam left Minnesota and traveled to upstate New York to meet someone he had connected with online. Friends described him as kind, quiet, and trusting - maybe too trusting.
What began as a relationship soon turned into captivity.

From December 2024 to February 2025, Sam endured what investigators later described as “sustained torture.”
According to police reports, the abuse included brutal beatings, forced consumption of toxic substances, and deliberate starvation. He was kept isolated and controlled by multiple individuals inside a home in Hopewell, Ontario County.

When officers finally uncovered the crime, they found evidence of physical and psychological torment that defied belief.

The Discovery

On February 13, 2025, police found Sam’s body in a frozen field near Penn Yan, about 50 miles southeast of Rochester. His death was the culmination of nearly two months of violence.

By that point, Sam had been missing for days. Investigators from the New York State Police and the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office pieced together cellphone data, witness interviews, and evidence from inside the house.

What they found painted a picture of group cruelty - not a single act of rage, but a deliberate, prolonged campaign of torture.

The Arrests

Five suspects - ranging in age from 19 to 38 - were arrested on February 9, 2025, and charged with second-degree murder under the statute of depraved indifference.
Two more suspects were taken into custody on February 20.

District Attorney James Ritts stated that while the motive remained unclear, the level of brutality suggested a “collective participation in ongoing acts of violence.”
Although Sam was transgender, prosecutors emphasized that no clear evidence classified the crime as a hate-motivated attack - a decision that sparked public outrage and debate.

The Investigation

The details are gruesome: bleach poured on open wounds, food deprivation, forced ingestion of urine and feces, and repeated beatings with household objects.
Medical examiners said it was among the most severe cases of torture they had ever documented in New York State.

The suspects - who reportedly lived with Sam for several weeks - are believed to have filmed parts of the abuse and exchanged messages mocking the victim.
Digital evidence from phones and social media became a key part of the investigation, revealing timelines and patterns of coercive control.

A Community in Shock

The town of Hopewell is small - fewer than 4,000 people - and residents struggled to comprehend how such horror could happen in their quiet corner of upstate New York.
Vigils were held in Sam’s memory, with attendees holding candles and photos, repeating one word over and over: “Why?”

Friends and advocates across Minnesota and New York have since called for stronger awareness of online grooming, domestic captivity, and coercive relationships, especially within vulnerable communities.

The Ongoing Trial

As of October 2025, the seven defendants remain in custody awaiting trial.
The charges include:

• Second-degree murder (depraved indifference)

• First-degree assault

• Unlawful imprisonment

• Evidence tampering

Prosecutors say additional charges could follow as forensic evidence continues to emerge.

The case of Sam Nordquist has already been compared to some of the most disturbing homicides in New York’s recent history - a chilling reminder that true evil doesn’t always hide in the dark; sometimes it lives next door.

How Can We Stand for This? We Must Protect Our Children from These Monsters!

Every day, we hope our children are safe. We hope they can grow up in a world where we don’t have to fear for their lives. But the reality is that horrific events like what happened in Virginia keep shattering that hope, turning our hometowns into places where we’re scared to let our kids even step outside. I recently came across a heart-wrenching story in the news about how MS-13 gang leaders have once again brought death and devastation to our communities. I read it, and I couldn’t sleep all night, thinking about my own children.

Federal prosecutors say Elmer Alas Candray, a 27-year-old native of El Salvador, became one of the busiest killers in Virginia as he rose through the ranks of the savage gang, which is known for its horrific violence

https://fdprc.capdefnet.org/sites/cdn_fdprc/files/Assets/public/project_declarations/authorization/declaration_biden_admin_stats__de-authorizations_and_no_seeks_rubenstein_july_2024.pdf

Defendant: Alas Candray, Elmer De Jesus
Docket No.: E.D. VA No. 1:22-CR-00178-MSN
Status: Authorization Not Sought by USAtty – not
authorized
Race of Def.: H
Sex of Def.: M
Sex of Vict(s): 1 Male
Race of Vict(s): 1 Hispanic
two MS-13 gang RICO gun murders, one in 2019, one in 2021. All involved are Hispanic.

One of the leaders of this ruthless gang is now on trial for brutal murders so horrifying, it’s hard to imagine. One of his victims was a young waitress, a girl they coldly shot 16 times in what can only be described as a barbaric act. Sixteen times. Can you even imagine the terror she must have felt?

Failed Murder-for-Hire Plot Involving Army Sergeant and Brother Exposes Deep Criminal Conspiracy

In a chilling turn of events, an Army sergeant and his brother have been implicated in a sinister murder-for-hire plot that targeted a Connecticut family, including two young children. The servicemember, identified as 30-year-old Sergeant Jeremiah Peikert, and his older brother, Joshua Peikert, 32, find themselves at the center of a criminal investigation that has unveiled a deep-seated intent to kill.

The elaborate scheme, orchestrated from behind bars, involved Joshua Peikert, who was an inmate at Corrigan Correctional Center in Uncasville, Connecticut. According to official court documents, Joshua attempted to employ his cellmate to hire a hitman in 2022, targeting a family that included a 29-year-old woman, her 23-year-old boyfriend, and her two daughters, ages 10 and one.

Jail Information Search, Polk County.

A list of inmates booked at the Polk County Jail

Name	DOB	Entry Date	Release Date
ATKINS, AJ	03/14/1986	02.12.2008	05/21/2008
ATKINS, AJ	03/14/1986	12.03.2008	01.08.2009
ATKINS, ANTHONY MARKSIMON	09.03.1986	05/30/2023	06/28/2023
ATKINSON, AMY M	10/20/1968	05.12.2003	05.12.2003
ATKINSON, AMY M	10/20/1968	03/27/2007	03/27/2007
ATKINSON, AMY MELISSA	10/20/1968	07/31/2000	07/31/2000
ATKINSON, ANTHONY	09.09.1983	10/29/2004	12.06.2004
ATKINSON, ANTHONY JAMES	09.09.1983	01.10.2004	01.10.2004
ATMORE, ANGELIA ANNETTE	07.02.1969	11.05.1991	11/29/1991
AUCOIN, ANGELA	11.10.1968	08/25/2002	03.06.2003
AUCOIN, ANGELA LYNN	11.10.1968	07/14/2002	08.07.2002
AUGUST, ASHLEY MARIE	10.02.1985	06.08.2006	06.08.2006
AUGUST, ASHLEY MARIE	10.02.1985	07.03.2008	07.04.2008
AUGUSTIN, ADOLFO CLARO	01.02.1981	04.04.2004	04.04.2004
AUGUSTIN, ADOLFO CLARO	01.02.1981	12/15/2004	12/21/2004
AUGUSTIN, ALTAMESE ANGENETTE	07.10.1969	07.03.1992	07.03.1992
AUGUSTUS, ALVIN LEE	02/28/1987	10/22/2003	06/30/2004
AULD, ARTHUR H	12/26/1947	07/21/2007	01.02.2008
AULETTA, AUSTIN JAMES	08.06.2002	02/20/2024	02/21/2024
AUST, ABNER MAURICE	10.07.1921	06/16/1994	06/16/1994
AUST, ABNER MAURICE	10.07.1921	09.12.2000	09/26/2000
AUST, ABNER MAURICE	10.07.1921	04/27/2007	03.03.2009
AUST, ABNER MAURICE JR	10.07.1921	08/14/1990	08/23/1990
AUST, ABNER MAURICE JR	10.07.1921	11.07.1990	11.07.1990
AUSTILE, ARTHUR LEE	01/26/1955	04.04.2000	04.05.2000
AUSTILE, ARTHUR LEE	01/26/1955	12.04.2002	12.08.2002
AUSTILE, ARTHUR LEE	01/26/1955	01/29/2003	04/13/2003
AUSTIN, AGNES LEE	08/23/1964	02/21/1996	02/22/1996
AUSTIN, AGNES LEE	08/23/1964	02/28/2001	03/17/2001
AUSTIN, AMANDA ELISE	06/25/1977	03/22/2002	03/23/2002
AUSTIN, ANETRA DENISE	02/21/1974	08.09.2000	08/29/2000
AUSTIN, ANTHONY	04.08.1964	10.09.2005	03/22/2006
AUSTIN, ARCHIE	06/20/1979	10/14/2006	10/29/2006
AUSTIN, ARCHIE	06/20/1979	10/26/2023	10/28/2023
AUSTIN, ARCHIE	06/20/1979	11.01.2023	11.08.2023
AUSTIN, ARCHIE