CANANDAIGUA, USA — Law enforcement officers visited the hotel where Sam Nordquist was allegedly tortured to death at least eight times during the month-long period of his captivity, according to sheriff’s office call records obtained by NBC News.
Deputies from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office responded to Patty’s Lodge in Canandaigua throughout January for welfare checks, reports of “family trouble,” a neighbor dispute, a probation check, and to issue a warrant for an unnamed individual’s arrest.
However, it remains unclear whether authorities ever visited Room 22, where prosecutors say Nordquist, 24, was held captive from Jan. 1 to Feb. 2 before dying from his injuries.
Repeated Law Enforcement Visits but No Reports of Abuse
The call records do not specify which rooms were searched or whether officers encountered anything suspicious.
Patty’s Lodge, a small motel with about two dozen rooms spread across four single-story buildings, places all rooms within close proximity to one another.
Despite this, no reports were made regarding unusual activity in Room 22, where officials say Nordquist was subjected to weeks of beatings, sexual assault, and starvation before his death.
The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment and referred inquiries to its public records office. Attempts to reach Patty’s Lodge for comment were unsuccessful.
National Outrage and LGBTQ+ Community Response
Nordquist, a transgender Black man, has become the focus of national attention following details of his brutal death.
LGBTQ+ advocates have expressed outrage, questioning how the prolonged abuse could have gone unnoticed despite multiple police visits to the motel.
The Ontario County District Attorney’s Office has stated that, so far, there is no evidence that witnesses heard or saw signs of the abuse, even though it allegedly involved multiple people over several weeks.
Timeline of Warnings and Missed Opportunities
Nordquist’s family, who reside in Oakdale, Minnesota, first requested a welfare check in October while he was still alive.
According to New York State Police Troop E, an officer completed the check, and Nordquist told the trooper he was fine and did not need assistance.
His family later requested another welfare check on Feb. 9, and reported him missing to Oakdale police the following day.
On Feb. 13, his body was discovered wrapped in plastic bags in a field near Patty’s Lodge, prosecutors revealed last week.
Seven Arrested in Connection to Nordquist’s Death
Prosecutors allege that Nordquist’s girlfriend and six others subjected him to brutal and prolonged torture, which included physical and sexual abuse, starvation, and forced consumption of feces, urine, and tobacco juice.
The indictment also alleges that two young children were coerced into participating in the abuse.
The seven individuals have been charged with first-degree murder and face life in prison without parole if convicted.
On Tuesday, all seven entered not guilty pleas in court.
Unanswered Questions Remain
With law enforcement having been at Patty’s Lodge multiple times during Nordquist’s captivity, the case has raised questions about whether more could have been done to intervene earlier.
The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office has yet to clarify whether officers were aware of any reports of distress or whether there were opportunities to uncover the abuse before Nordquist’s death.
As the investigation continues, attention remains on how a prolonged period of violence went undetected despite repeated law enforcement presence at the scene.
