A Florida woman named Sarah Boone was sentenced to life in prison for the 2020 murder of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., who she sealed in a suitcase overnight until he suffocated and died while she taunted him. Boone was found guilty of second-degree murder after a 10-day trial in which she claimed Torres abused her. The jury only took 90 minutes to reach a guilty verdict. Boone smiled in court as she was sentenced by Circuit Judge Michael Kraynick in Orlando.
During the sentencing, Torres’ family members packed the courtroom and shared the impact of his death on their lives. His mother Blanca Torres spoke about waiting for him to come home, while one of his daughters, Anna Victoria Torres, described her own struggles with mental health issues since losing her father. She recounted waking up screaming and feeling the shock of his absence repeatedly.
Boone made a last-ditch effort to sway the court in her favor by taking the stand before her sentencing. She cycled through nine attorneys during her trial and attempted to argue that Torres had been abusive towards her. Boone claimed to have suffered from “battered spouse syndrome,” alleging that Torres had been physically and emotionally abusive throughout their relationship.
The murder occurred during a night of drinking and a game of hide-and-seek. Torres had hidden in the suitcase as part of the game, and Boone zipped it up and recorded herself taunting him as he pleaded to be released. She then went to bed, and Torres was found dead the following morning. Boone claimed she thought he could get himself out because two of his fingers were poking out of the suitcase.
Boone’s defense team had argued that she only killed Torres due to her alleged abuse and asked for forgiveness from his family for his death. She pleaded with the court and expressed regret over the incident. However, she rejected a plea offer of a 15-year sentence and originally pleaded not guilty to the charges. Boone’s actions in sealing Torres in a suitcase and leaving him to suffocate to death have led to her life sentence in prison.
