A Florida woman, Sarah Boone, 47, was convicted on Friday for the murder of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., 42. The conviction came after a bizarre incident where Boone trapped Torres in a suitcase during a drunken game of hide and seek, fell asleep, and found him dead 11 hours later. The prosecutors announced the verdict of second-degree murder in a press release.
State Attorney Andrew Bain described the incident as a “horrific homicide,” stating that no one should have to endure such a struggle and die alone, begging for their last breath inside a suitcase. He expressed satisfaction that justice was served with Boone’s conviction.
Boone’s attorney, James Owens, expressed shock at the verdict. He had argued that Boone was a victim of “battered spouse syndrome.” Boone had a history of issues with her defense attorneys, many of whom either quit or were fired.
During the trial, Boone testified that on the day of the incident, February 23, 2020, she and Torres had been drinking at their home in Winter Park. Torres suggested a game of hide-and-seek, and at some point, Boone found Torres inside a large suitcase. She zipped him up as a joke, she said, and they both laughed about it.
However, the situation took a dark turn when Boone decided to use the situation to confront Torres about his past abusive behavior towards her. Boone testified that Torres began to struggle to breathe and begged her to let him out, but she refused. Instead, she mocked him and reminded him of the times he had abused her.
Boone claimed that Torres threatened to harm her when he got out of the suitcase. In response, when Torres managed to get a hand out of the suitcase, Boone hit his hand with a baseball bat until he withdrew it. She left him in the suitcase, believing he would be able to get out on his own, and went to sleep.
When Boone woke up and found Torres still in the suitcase, she was shocked. She pulled him out to find him purple and gurgling. Despite calling 911, Torres was declared dead.
During the trial, Boone’s defense attorney presented evidence of past abuse by Torres, including photos of her injuries. Boone maintained that she loved Torres and hoped he would change his behavior. However, the prosecution questioned her actions, suggesting that she may have pushed Torres down the stairs while he was in the suitcase.
Boone is set to be sentenced on Dec. 2 and faces up to life in prison.