Investigators in the USA shocked Trans man murdered after weeks of torture

A trans man in the USA has been murdered after weeks of torture. Five suspects have been arrested, the police announced.

The presumed body of 24-year-old Sam Nordquist was found Thursday in a field near the town of Canandaigua in upstate New York. Nordquist had been reported missing a week ago.

"Our investigation uncovered a disturbing pattern of abuse that ultimately resulted in Sam's tragic death," New York Police Department Investigator Kelly Swift said at a press conference Friday. In her 20 years on the force, this case was one of the worst crimes she had ever investigated, Swift said.

Repeatedly abused and tortured

Nordquist had traveled to New York from the state of Minnesota in September last year to meet his girlfriend, whom he had met online, according to the website of a fundraising campaign for Nordquist's family. His family had not heard from him since January, and Nordquist was last seen in early February.

Police believe that Nordquist was repeatedly abused and tortured from early December 2024 to February 2025, which ultimately led to his death. His body was then taken to the field to cover up the crime.

"Disgusting indifference"

The five people arrested have been charged with murder with premeditation and "abhorrent indifference". An autopsy will now confirm the cause of death.

The LGBTQ organization The New Pride Agenda from the state of New York expressed its shock at the crime. In online networks, the organization stated, "We know this is not an isolated incident" and added: "It is the tragic consequence of the growing hate culture in our society". The English abbreviation LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer.