CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — This week marks a year since Sam Nordquist’s body was found in a field in Yates County. Police said he endured weeks of torture leading up to his death.
News10NBC’s Erin Mahon spoke with Sam’s mother, Linda Nordquist, and his sister, Kayla Nordquist. Linda and Kayla said they are speaking about Sam’s case to ensure his name isn’t forgotten. “I believe Sam is still here and is waiting until he gets his justice. We are his voices. We are going to continue to speak, and the more time goes on, the louder we’re going to get,” Linda said.
When asked about the upcoming trial, Linda said she feels confident in Assistant District Attorneys James Nobles and Sara Van Strydonck because they are new to the Ontario County District Attorney’s office and have something to prove. She said she has checked their conviction records and feels both prosecutors have a strong history of achieving justice.
“They all deserve nothing less than life without the possibility of parole. Every single one of them,” Linda said. “I’ve had people say ‘death penalty. Death penalty. New York should get the death penalty back.’ No, that’s too easy. I want them to suffer the way they made my son suffer.”
“Even if they do get life without the possibility of parole, it would be a weight lifted,” Kayla said. “But the way I feel, I don’t think any amount of justice is going to bring me peace, because I just don’t have my brother.”
Mahon spoke with Nobles earlier today. He said tomorrow’s pre-trial conference will decide when and how many trials will take place. There are seven suspects, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be tried together. Tomorrow the judge, defense attorneys and prosecutors will discuss the plan and set a schedule for the trial or trials. Nobles noted tomorrow’s conference will start the conversation, but may not end in a finalized plan. He declined to discuss the prosecutor’s strategy thus far, but noted that they are focusing on growing as familiar with the evidence in the case as possible right now.
Over the last year, Kayla and Linda say they’ve thought of Sam everyday. Kayla told Mahon that telling her children about Sam’s death was tough. They are between ages 10 and 2, and she has had to explain why they’ll never see their uncle again.
“Before we found out that Sam was no longer with us,” she said, “they thought I was going to New York to go pick up Sammy because he wanted to come home and didn’t have a ride.”
She mentioned it will also be difficult to face the suspects in person. She’s kept up with their lives via social media, even from hundreds of miles away in Minnesota. She’s also prepared for seeing them by viewing previously recorded footage of them going in and out of courthouses.
Both women said they plan to attend the trial. They will travel to meet with prosecutors in person next month. When the trial starts, Linda says she plans to temporarily move from Minnesota to attend all trial dates, while Kayla plans to attend sentencings, balancing family and work commitments. She said she will attend other trial dates as she is able. When they do go, she said, they’ll both wear necklaces with Sam’s thumbprint.
“I put mine on and I’ve never taken it off. And I will be buried with this necklace on,” said Kayla.
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