Life Sentence for Florida Woman Who Suffocated Boyfriend in Suitcase

Sarah Boone, 47, was sentenced to life in prison on December 2, 2024, after being found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Jorge Torres Jr. The conviction stems from an incident on February 23, 2020, at the couple's home in Winter Park, Florida, where Boone zipped Torres, 42, inside a suitcase. He suffocated to death overnight.

Orange County authorities arrested Boone on February 25, 2020, two days after Torres' body was discovered. The case drew international attention for its shocking circumstances: video evidence recovered from Boone's phone showed her laughing and taunting Torres as he screamed and pleaded for release, his fingers protruding from the closed suitcase as he desperately pushed from inside.

In the recorded footage, Boone made statements directed at Torres, including "For everything you've done to me, [expletive] you! Stupid," "That's on you," and "That's what I feel like when you cheat on me." She also referenced physical abuse, saying "That's what you do when you choke me." At the time of his death, Torres weighed 103 pounds.

During her trial, which concluded in October 2024 after ten days of proceedings, Boone maintained that the incident was consensual. She testified that she and Torres had been drinking wine and playing hide-and-seek when he voluntarily climbed into the suitcase "for fun." According to her account, both were laughing at the time. Boone claimed she then went upstairs and fell asleep, later discovering Torres dead and calling 911.

She argued that Torres' protruding fingers should have allowed him to escape and testified that her intention was to make him "understand how I felt" to "be a better person." Boone claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse by Torres and rejected a plea deal offered by prosecutors.

However, evidence presented during trial contradicted aspects of her narrative. Boone later admitted to striking Torres with a baseball bat while he was trapped in the suitcase—a detail not included in her initial account. The video evidence and the circumstances surrounding his death proved pivotal in the jury's decision.

The six-person jury deliberated for approximately 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict on October 25, 2024, for second-degree murder. When sentenced on December 2, Boone showed no visible reaction. The prosecutor emphasized her lack of remorse during sentencing proceedings.

Following her conviction, Boone was transferred to the Florida Women's Correction Center in Ocala to serve her life sentence. In early November 2024, she filed a motion for a new trial, citing allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.

Torres' family declined to speak with media following the verdict but submitted a victim impact statement through one of his children, who expressed the profound ripple effect of the tragedy: "She didn't only kill my son, she killed a father, a brother, an uncle." The statement captured the loss experienced by those closest to the victim.

The case has become a significant example of how digital evidence—particularly video recordings made by the perpetrator themselves—can be crucial in securing convictions in homicide cases. Boone's own documentation of the final hours of Torres' life provided authorities with unambiguous proof of her actions and intent.

**Sources**

https://abc7chicago.com/post/suitcase-murder-trial-sarah-boone-sentenced-life-prison-zipping-boyfriend-jorge-torres-jr-he-died/15616845/

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/sarah-boone-transferred-florida-prison-serve-life-sentence-boyfriends-suitcase-murder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Jorge_Torres