Warning: Some readers may find the details in this story and the news conference disturbing

ONTARIO COUNTY, N.Y. — The seven people charged in the torture and killing of Sam Nordquist have all been indicted on first-degree murder, which carries a sentence of life without parole if found guilty.

New York State Police and the Ontario County District Attorney’s Office held a news conference on Wednesday about the incident, which includes details on the torture that police say Nordquist endured.

“Our state no longer has the death penalty but prior to the death penalty being struck down, this would have been a death penalty charge,”  Assistant District Attorney Kelly Wolford said.

The indictment charges one suspect, Precious Arzuaga, with coercion after investigators say she forced two children, 7 and 12, to engage in the torture. In addition, all suspects are charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

“It’s heartbreaking. We have a seven year old and a 12 year old who are also victims,” Wolford said. “They may have been forced to participate, but their their lives are forever changed by what they saw and endured in there.”

Wolford said they are not only there for Nordquist, but also to seek justice for the two children involved.

Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender man originally from Minnesota, traveled to the Finger Lakes area in September to meet with Arzuaga, his girlfriend who he connected with online, according to his family. The family reported him missing on Feb. 9 after losing contact with him.

According to Wolford, the entire group was known to each other both through familial and romantic relationships, but did not confirm who the children belonged to.

In the indictment, it says the investigation into Nordquist’s death began Jan. 1.

Wolford said Nordquist endured over a month of physical, sexual, and psychological torture at 22 Patty’s Lodge in Ontario County starting in late January.

“It’s a rare circumstance that we stand before you and charge this subdivision in murder of the first degree where it alleges that somebody was tortured to death,” she said. “It specifically requires that we prove that all seven defendants tortured Sam Nordquist and they did so because they enjoyed it.”

All seven suspects are also charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy. According to the indictment, Nordquist was kept in a confined space and forced to eat feces and drink urine. It also says he was starved.

“They physically restrained him. They forced him to obey their commands, treating him like a dog. They covered his face with towels and shirts and fabric. They used duct tape and they poured bleach on him,” Wolford said.

According to police, they believe Nordquist came to New York willingly, but soon after meeting the defendants was never allowed to leave alone.

“Our understanding is he came here on his own free will and was staying at Patty’s Lodge on his own,” Wolford said. “Free will when this began.”

The indictment also charges several of the suspects with aggravated sexual abuse, which accuses them of sexually assaulting Nordquist with a foreign object.

The indictment also reveals details on how Nordquist’s body was disposed of. According to the indictment, Nordquist’s body was wrapped in plastic bags and taken from Patty’s Lodge to a farmer’s field in Yates County. Police found the body three days after his family reported him missing. The suspects are charged with concealment of a human corpse.

Last month, the Ontario County District Attorney’s Office said there’s no indication that Nordquist’s murder was a hate crime. During Wednesday’s news conference, Wolford said the case is “bigger than a hate crime.”

“A hate crime would make this charge about Sam’s gender or about Sam’s race and it’s so much bigger. To limit us to a hate crime would be an injustice to Sam,” she said.

Wolford said we’ll never understand why Nordquist was treated so inhumanely.

“As I stand here today as a human being, we’ll never know the answer why. Because what human being could do what happened to Sam? We’ll never make sense of this case,” Wolford said.

You can see Wednesday’s full news conference here:

Photos of Sam Nordquist (provided by the family):

More of our coverage:

• Son of suspect among 2 newly charged in Ontario County murder case (Feb. 21)
• What we know about the 5 people accused of killing Sam Nordquist (Feb. 18)
• Hundreds gather in Canandaigua to honor Sam Nordquist, transgender man found dead in Yates County (Feb. 17)
• Gov. Hochul, NYCLU, Minnesota governor, and others condemn murder of Sam Nordquist (Feb. 17)
• ‘How can you be that evil’; Family demands justice in murder of Sam Nordquist (Feb. 15)
• NYSP: Man missing in Canandaigua tortured and killed; Five people charged (Feb. 14)