Another defendant in Sam Nordquist’s murder arrives to court, weeks after Precious Arzuaga’s guilty plea

Another defendant in Sam Nordquist’s murder due in court on Wednesday

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Another defendant accused of kidnapping, torturing, and killing Sam Nordquist in Canandaigua is in Ontario County Court right now. News10NBC crews spotted Jennifer “Brooklyn” Quijano walking in to court Wednesday afternoon.

It comes weeks after Precious Arzuaga, who investigators describe as the leader of the group that abused and killed Nordquist, pleaded guilty to all charges after initially pleading not guilty. Nordquist’s mother says that, according to the Ontario County District Attorney’s Office, Jennifer “Brooklyn” Quijano also plans to change her plea.

Quijano’s appearance is scheduled for 3 p.m. Nordquist’s family told News10NBC that they’re in Canandaigua for the hearing.

News10NBC is inside the courtroom now, and will update this story as we learn more.

Additional information about the case

In total, seven people were charged with Nordquist’s murder. Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender man from Minnesota, came to Canandaigua to meet Arzuaga, his girlfriend, who he met online. With the plea, Arzuaga has admitted to torturing Nordquist physically and psychologically for around a month before he died in February of 2025.

The district attorney’s office didn’t offer Arzuaga a plea deal, so she had no benefits from waiving her right to a jury trial. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 4.

Another defendant, Emily Motyka, accepted a plea deal in early June, pleading guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping and waiving her right to an appeal. News10NBC is still working to learn when the other four defendants will appear in court. The district attorney’s office said each suspect will get a separate trial.

More about the case

Investigators say Nordquist was tortured at Patty’s Lodge before being dumped in a Yates County field. New York State Police found Nordquist’s body on Feb. 13, 2025.

Nordquist’s family told News10NBC that he traveled to Canandaigua months earlier, in September, to meet Arzuaga. Nordquist’s family got suspicious after losing contact with him and reported him missing on Feb. 9.

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