One of the seven defendants charged in the 2025 killing of Minnesotan Sam Nordquist pleaded guilty Tuesday to two significant but lesser charges.
Emily Motyka, 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree charges of murder and kidnapping. Ontario County District Attorney Jason McBride announced the charges outside the courthouse in Canandaigua, N.Y.
She is the first one to strike a plea deal. For now, all the defendants will have separate trials. The first one is set for Aug. 31 when jury selection begins for Precious Arzuaga, the defendant prosecutors allege was the ringleader.
McBride said Motyka faces life in prison. A judge will decide when she is eligible for parole, which could be anywhere from 15-50 years.
Nordquist was a transgender man from Oakdale who traveled to the Finger Lakes area in September 2024 to meet Arzuaga, whom he had met online.
His body was found Feb. 13 in a Yates County field, about 17 miles southwest from the apartment where authorities say Sam Nordquist was held against his will.
Motyka, the youngest defendant, also waived her right to appeal. Motyka and her fellow defendants were initially charged with first degree murder and other crimes in March 2025.
“If we look at each of the seven defendants individually, Ms. Motyka certainly participated to a large extent, but not to the same level that others did,” McBride said. “It's also important to know that that she accepted responsibility."
During court, he said, Motyka described graphic details pertaining to Sam’s death.
McBride said the prosecution team consulted with Nordquist’s family.
“They were in support of the events that occurred today,” he said.
Nordquist's mother, Linda Nordquist, who lived in a duplex with her son in Oakdale, said she has mixed feelings about the deal.
“I'm glad that we’re getting one step closer to getting justice for Sam on one hand,” Linda Nordquist said.
But she doesn’t think the minimum of 15 years to life is enough time.
“You still participated, it doesn’t matter if you show remorse and you’re being cooperative, you should have thought about that when you did this crime,” she said. “It’s just a little too late.”
McBride said no such plea deals will be extended to Arzuaga.
“All the charges are on the table,” he said. “We’re looking forward to prosecuting that matter in court.”
