Justice for Sam Nordquist

Crime Salad

True Crime

4.4 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 29 March 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What really happened in Room 22 of Patty’s Lodge in the quiet town of Canandaigua, New York?

When 24-year-old Sam Nordquist boarded a flight to meet someone he’d connected with online, he carried with him nothing but hope. Known by everyone who loved him as kind-hearted and genuine, Sam was looking forward to the possibility of something real — a new chapter in life and maybe even love.

But what was waiting for him in New York was not what it seemed. What unfolded next would become the most painful and unjust chapter of his life — and a nightmare his family is still trying to understand.

In this episode, we share Sam’s story: a young man led by trust and warmth, a family forever changed, and a search for truth that refuses to be silenced. This is a story of betrayal, heartbreak, and a community demanding justice.

Justice for Sam Nordquist
.
Important links supporting this case:

Justice for Sam Nordquist Gofundme: https://gofund.me/86190ffa

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	According to a study done by Pew Research Center, only 48% of Americans believe that online dating is even somewhat safe, with 60% of adults agreeing that dating apps and websites should require background checks
0:24.2	for users signing up for their platforms, despite most apps lacking such safety features.
0:31.4	Unfortunately, research has shown that concerns about meeting potential love interests online are all too valid.
0:39.7	It seems digital romance comes with some alarming risks.
0:44.9	One survey revealed that 55% of respondents were met with negative outcomes from online dating,
0:52.3	reporting crimes such as fraud, extortion, and assault, among many
0:57.4	other awful experiences. To add to the danger, there may be a reason to believe that crimes
1:03.2	committed by predators who use the internet to lure in victims are likely to be even more
1:09.2	traumatizing than attacks carried out by perpetrators
1:12.3	who meet their victims without the help of apps. After reviewing 3,413 sexual assault charts
1:21.1	from 2017 to 2020, researchers concluded that dating app facilitated sexual assaults tended to be much more violent,
1:30.8	even though both perpetrators and victims in these cases were less likely to have used drugs or alcohol before the attack.
1:39.2	Of course, warnings about the importance of being safe online aren't anything new,
1:46.4	with over 50 billion people using social media worldwide, digital interactions have become an accepted part of daily life.
1:53.6	It can be easy to be fooled by false confidence, having grown comfortable in digital spaces.
2:07.0	But perhaps it's wiser to open our eyes to the true dangers lurking on the internet.
2:20.9	When Sam Nordquist told his mother Linda Nordquist of his plans to fly to New York to meet a woman he'd struck up an online romance with in person, she warned him not to go. But at 24 years old, Sam was an adult who was old enough to make his own decisions, always known for having a
2:27.0	big heart. Sam wasn't going to let the hope of a new intoxicating romantic connection
2:33.6	slip away from him.
2:35.9	Despite his mother's concerns, Sam booked the ticket to New York,
2:40.4	unaware that danger was already waiting for him there.
2:43.7	What followed would be the most devastating and unjust chapter of his life.
	...

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