Sarah Boone, 47, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday December 2, 2024 for the 2020 murder of her boyfriend, 42-year-old Jorge Torres.
Boone was convicted of second-degree murder after a jury deliberated for just 90 minutes on October 25, following a 10-day trial.
Circuit Judge Michael Kraynick imposed the sentence in Orlando, noting the gravity of Boone’s actions, which involved zipping Torres into a suitcase and leaving him to die from suffocation.
The case stemmed from a long history of domestic and alcohol abuse between the couple.
Boone had initially insisted that she herself was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of Torres and rejected a plea deal that would have resulted in a 15-year sentence. However, the jury ultimately found her guilty of second-degree murder.
Torres’ family members spoke out during the sentencing hearing, expressing the deep pain caused by his death.
His sister, Victoria Torres, condemned Boone’s actions, stating, “Sarah deserves to rot in jail. Sarah has caused a lifetime of pain.”
In a statement of her own, Boone expressed remorse for her role in Torres’ death, despite her claims of being abused by him.
“I forgive myself for falling in love with a monster. I tried breaking the spell … I never stopped loving him,” Boone said. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. Forgive me, Jorge. Forgive me, Torres family.” Boone has been in jail for over four years.
The tragic incident occurred on February 23, 2020, in Winter Park, Florida, when Boone and Torres, both intoxicated, engaged in a game of hide-and-seek.
According to Boone, Torres climbed into the suitcase for amusement, and she then decided to go to sleep, assuming he would be able to escape. However, when Boone awoke the following morning, she realized Torres was still in the suitcase and found him unresponsive after unzipping it.
Investigators uncovered cellphone videos showing Torres crying for help from inside the suitcase, repeatedly asking Boone to let him out and stating he could not breathe.
Prosecutors argued that Boone intentionally kept him inside the suitcase to terrorize him, later striking him with a baseball bat.
During the trial, Boone testified that past violent incidents with Torres led her to believe she was in imminent danger, and she acted in self-defense by keeping him in the suitcase.
Boone’s actions, captured in chilling video evidence, led to her conviction and the imposition of the life sentence.
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