Authorities in New York said that the killing of Sam Nordquist, 24, formerly of Oakdale, is not currently being considered a hate crime.

State police and the Ontario County District Attorney’s office released a joint statement saying it was prompted by questions from across the country.

“There have been many questions as to whether Sam’s murder was a hate crime,” the Sunday statement said. “At this time we have no indication that Sam’s murder was a hate crime. To help alleviate the understandable concern his murder could be a hate crime, we are disclosing that Sam and his assailants were known to each other, identified as LGBTQ+, and at least one of the defendants lived with Sam in the time period leading up to (his death).”

Authorities asked people not to speculate about the murder’s motive as they “work to find justice for Sam.”

The statement said the agencies are “committed to providing a safe community for all people. We share the community’s shock at such a heinous act of violence, and understand the fear circulating amongst members of the LGBTQ+ community. We will follow any and all leads to ensure that the motive for this murder is uncovered,” the statement read.

In addition, the agencies said that while legal documents may need to refer to Sam as she/her, that they are “committed to respecting his memory and identity as consistently as legally possible.”

“We remain focused on holding these individuals accountable, and will continue to work tirelessly to complete the investigation into Sam’s murder,” the statement said.

Five charged

New York State Police charged five people Friday with murder in the killing Nordquist, who had been missing since December. Authorities said Nordquist died following repeated acts of violence and torture for more than a month by multiple individuals who later discarded his body in a field.

Police said he arrived in New York in late September and was expected to return home about two weeks later, but he never boarded his return flight and later lost contact with loved ones.

Police began investigating his disappearance on Feb. 9 after receiving a request for a welfare check from his family, who told the authorities that they had lost contact with him at the end of January, the New York Times reported. Nordquist was a former student at Red Wing High School and previously lived in Oakdale, according to the Republican Eagle.

Those arrested include Precious Arzuaga, 38, and Patrick Goodwin, 30, of Canandaigua, N.Y.; Kyle Sage, 33, of Rochester, N.Y.; Jennifer Quijano, 30, of Geneva, N.Y.; and Emily Motyka, 19, of Lima, N.Y. All five were charged with second-degree murder after police on Thursday searched a room at the Patty’s Lodge motel in Canandaigua, the last place Nordquist was known to be staying.

Maj. Kevin Sucher, commander of the New York State Police troop that includes the Finger Lakes region, said the facts and circumstances of the case were “beyond depraved” and “by far the worst” homicide investigation the office has ever been part of.

“No human being should have to endure what Sam endured,” he said, during a televised news conference Friday.

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