Janice R. Andrews
A jury in Florida has found Sarah Boone, 47, guilty of second-degree murder following a tragic incident where her boyfriend Jorge Torres Jr., 42, died after being trapped in a suitcase in their Winter Park residence in 2020.
Initially, Boone described the event as an unfortunate accident that occurred during an evening of drinking wine and playing games. She claimed they were engaged in hide-and-seek when Torres entered a blue suitcase as a playful gesture. After zipping it closed, she said she believed he could escape, noting that his fingers were visible outside the case. She then went to sleep, expecting him to join her, but discovered him deceased the next morning.
However, phone recordings presented as evidence revealed a different story. The videos showed Torres desperately begging to be released while struggling to breathe. Instead of helping, Boone was heard mocking him and making accusations about unfaithfulness. One recording captured Torres’s distressed voice saying, “I can’t f**king breathe, seriously,” as he attempted to free himself.
The defense team portrayed Boone as someone suffering from “Battered Spouse Syndrome,” claiming she had lived in fear throughout their relationship. During her nearly five-hour testimony in the 10-day trial, Boone maintained she genuinely believed Torres could escape the suitcase independently.
While Boone’s attorney expressed regret at the verdict, Torres’s family members, present but emotional, declined to comment. The sentencing hearing is set for December 2 at 1:30 p.m.
