The latest defendant is the mother of Precious Arzuaga and grandmother of another man already charged in the sprawling prosecution.
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — The criminal prosecution over the kidnapping and death of Sam Nordquist now includes three generations of one family after Shirley Morales was charged with kidnapping and conspiracy more than a year and a half after Nordquist’s body was found.
Morales, 56, is the mother of Precious Arzuaga, who is serving life in prison without parole after admitting her role in Nordquist’s murder. Morales is also the grandmother of Thomas Eaves, one of the defendants whose case remains pending. Morales pleaded not guilty Monday in Ontario County Court to first-degree kidnapping, second-degree kidnapping and second-degree conspiracy.
The family connections add another dimension to a prosecution that began with seven defendants accused in connection with the prolonged abuse and killing of Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender man from Minnesota. Morales was arrested Friday, Oct. 30, after a grand jury returned a sealed indictment. The specific charges were not made public until the indictment was unsealed at her Nov. 2 arraignment.
Prosecutors allege Morales participated in Nordquist’s confinement and abuse between Dec. 31, 2024, and Feb. 1, 2025. The accusations against Morales have not been proven, and her not guilty plea means the case will proceed separately through the court system. Judge Kristina Karle continued her no-bail status following the arraignment.
The allegations against Morales also connect her to a period investigators have described as weeks of escalating abuse. Authorities have said Nordquist traveled to the Finger Lakes region after forming a relationship with Arzuaga online. Investigators say he was later prevented from leaving and was physically, psychologically and sexually abused. Much of the conduct was alleged to have occurred at Patty’s Lodge in Hopewell, near Canandaigua.
Nordquist’s body was found in a field in Yates County on Feb. 13, 2025. His disappearance and death led to an extensive investigation by New York State Police and a series of charges against people authorities said participated at different levels. The later indictment of Morales shows that the investigation continued even as cases against the original defendants moved toward pleas, sentencing and trial.
Arzuaga and Jennifer Quijano have received the most severe sentences so far. Both were sentenced Sept. 8 to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. Prosecutors had identified Arzuaga as a leading figure in the abuse of Nordquist. Her sentence also covered kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse and other offenses to which she pleaded guilty.
Two other defendants, Emily Motyka and Kyle Sage, have pleaded guilty to charges arising from Nordquist’s death. Sage is scheduled to be sentenced in December, while Motyka had not yet received a sentencing date in the latest reports. Patrick Goodwin, Kimberly Sochia and Eaves continue to face pending cases, with their trials expected to begin in January 2027. They remain presumed innocent on charges that have not been resolved through guilty pleas or verdicts.
Morales’ relationship to both Arzuaga and Eaves does not establish her guilt or determine what evidence prosecutors will ultimately present against her. The newly unsealed indictment makes her an additional defendant in the investigation, but prosecutors must still prove the kidnapping and conspiracy allegations in court. Details about the evidence supporting the indictment have only begun to emerge publicly.
Morales is represented by attorney John Gilsenan. Chief Assistant District Attorney Sara Van Strydonck and Senior Assistant District Attorney Robin Catalano are prosecuting her case. Her next scheduled proceeding is an attorneys-only virtual conference Nov. 18, while the remaining cases connected to Nordquist’s death continue on separate tracks in Ontario County Court.
Author note: Last updated Nov. 3, 2026.