Murder of Jorge Torres
{{Short description|2020 murder in Winter Park, Florida}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Murder of Jorge Torres
| location = Winter Park, Florida, U.S.
| date = {{start date and age|2020|02|24}}
| time = {{circa}} 11:00 p.m.
| timezone = EST
| type = Murder by suffocation
| fatalities =
| victim = Jorge Torres Jr., aged 42
| weapon = Suitcase
| verdict = Guilty
| perp = Sarah Boone
| convictions = Second-degree murder{{Infobox event
| title =
| child = yes
| sentence = Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole}}
}}
File:Boone Orange County FL Mugshot.jpg
Jorge Torres Jr., a 42-year-old American man, suffocated to death on February 24, 2020, in Winter Park, Florida after being zipped into a suitcase.
His girlfriend, then 42-year-old Sarah Boone, was arrested the following day for second-degree murder after agreeing to a police interview. She was convicted on October 25, 2024 and subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
Boone's legal proceedings drew attention in part from Boone's written correspondence with the judge and a number of defense lawyers withdrawing from the case.{{cite web |last1=Silver |first1=Lauren |title=‘I Am Not the Problem’: Sarah Boone submits 58-page letter to court |url=https://www.courttv.com/news/i-am-not-the-problem-sarah-boone-submits-58-page-letter-to-court/ |website=COURT TV |access-date=8 December 2024 |date=25 June 2024}}
Background
Prior to his death, Torres had been arrested multiple times for alleged instances of domestic violence against Boone and she had been arrested one time for an alleged instance of domestic violence against Torres. Boone had been arrested once for alleged battery by strangulation against Torres in July 2018 when both Boone and Torres were arrested; however, her charge in that case was dismissed. Torres had been arrested four times for alleged battery against Boone; Boone bailed Torres out of jail each time.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-18 |title=Sarah Boone case: What to know about Winter Park woman facing murder charge after boyfriend dies in suitcase |url=https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/whats-next-for-sarah-boone-woman-accused-of-putting-boyfriend-in-suitcase-leaving-him-to-die |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=FOX 35 Orlando |language=en-US}}
Incident
On February 24, 2020, Boone called 9-1-1 and told them that her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, was dead. Boone claimed that she and Torres had a single bottle of wine and then decided to play hide-and-seek. She claimed that they thought it would be funny to put him in the suitcase, and that they were both laughing. She stated that she then went upstairs and accidentally fell asleep, leaving Torres in the suitcase.{{Cite web |last=Delandro |first=Taylor |date=2023-03-13 |title=Florida woman charged after boyfriend dies in suitcase |url=https://fox8.com/news/florida-woman-charged-after-boyfriend-dies-in-suitcase/ |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=Fox 8 Cleveland WJW |language=en-US}} Torres' death was ruled a homicide.{{Cite web |last=Dobrzyn |first=Erin |date=2020-05-27 |title=Report: Man died of asphyxiation after girlfriend locked him in suitcase for 'up to 11 hours' |url=https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/05/27/report-man-died-of-asphyxiation-after-girlfriend-locked-him-in-suitcase-for-up-to-11-hours/ |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=WKMG |language=en}}
During the on-site investigation, Boone willingly turned over her phone to forensic investigators. A search of the phone found two videos that Boone had taken the night before. The videos showed Boone laughing as Torres pleaded for help inside the suitcase, with Boone stating, "That's what you do when you choke me" and "That's what I feel like when you cheat on me".{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=FOX 35 Digital |date=2024-06-07 |title=Sarah Boone case: Florida woman who allegedly put boyfriend in suitcase accuses her lawyer of lying |url=https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/florida-woman-who-accused-her-lawyer-lying-appears-court |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=FOX 35 Orlando |language=en-US}} Boone was interviewed by detectives at the police department the following day. Boone stated that she did not remember recording the videos.{{Cite web |last=Laviola |first=Erin |date=2020-02-26 |title=Sarah Boone: Florida Woman Left Boyfriend to Die in Suitcase, Cops Say |url=https://heavy.com/news/2020/02/sarah-boone/ |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=Heavy.com |language=en-US |archive-date=April 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419022659/https://heavy.com/news/2020/02/sarah-boone/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-17 |title=Sarah Boone case: Attorney plans to argue battered spouse defense in 2020 death of Boone's boyfriend |url=https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/sarah-boone-florida-woman-accused-of-murder-after-boyfriend-dies-in-suitcase-to-have-pretrial-hearing-tuesday |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=FOX 35 Orlando |language=en-US}}
Trial
Boone was subsequently charged with second-degree murder for killing Torres and held in Orange County jail without bail. Eight different attorneys who represented her withdrew, seven of them having been court appointed.{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=Jenna Sundel |date=2024-09-04 |title=Alleged suitcase killer Sarah Boone nabs 9th lawyer with handwritten flyer |url=https://www.newsweek.com/sarah-boone-lawyer-suitcase-trial-florida-1948612 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Newsweek |language=en}} Judge Michael Kraynick ruled that Boone had forfeited her right to court-appointed counsel.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-25 |title=Sarah Boone case: Florida woman charged in suitcase murder has gone through 7 lawyers, court docs reveal |url=https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/sarah-boone-case-florida-woman-charged-in-suitcase-murder-has-gone-through-7-lawyers-court-docs-reveal |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=FOX 35 Orlando |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Eight is enough: Judge rules Sarah Boone forfeits right to attorney |url=https://www.courttv.com/news/eight-is-enough-judge-rules-sarah-boone-forfeits-right-to-attorney/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Court TV |language=en-US}} {{Cite web |title=Sarah Boone loses 8th lawyer, must now represent herself in Florida murder trial, judge rules |url=https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/sarah-boone-trial-update-loses-lawyer-self-representation-ordered.amp |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=www.fox35orlando.com}} On July 18, 2024, at a hearing where Boone was representing herself, she submitted a letter which included a hand drawn advertisement for a lawyer.{{Cite web |title=Sarah Boone, searching for 9th attorney, represents herself at hearing |last=Brown|first = Ivy|url=https://www.courttv.com/news/sarah-boone-searching-for-9th-attorney-represents-herself-at-hearing/ |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=Court TV |language=en-US}} The advertisement was circulated by media reporting on the filing, and Boone found representation by attorney James Owens.{{cite news |last1=Sundel |first1=Jenna |title=Alleged Suitcase Killer Sarah Boone Nabs 9th Lawyer With Handwritten Flyer |url=https://www.newsweek.com/sarah-boone-lawyer-suitcase-trial-florida-1948612 |access-date=23 October 2024 |agency=Newsweek |date=4 September 2024}} Owens met with state prosecutors about a possible plea agreement to the charge of manslaughter in exchange for a 15-year sentence, which Boone ultimately rejected.{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=Jenna Sundel |date=2024-10-14 |title=Sarah Boone's long-delayed murder trial begins for alleged suitcase killing |url=https://www.newsweek.com/sarah-boone-suitcase-trial-murder-jorge-torres-jr-1968735 |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-12-01 |title=Florida woman to be sentenced Monday in suitcase murder trial |url=https://www.kpax.com/us-news/crime/florida-woman-to-be-sentenced-monday-in-suitcase-murder-trial |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=KPAX News |language=en}}
After multiple delays, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Milton, the trial began on October 14, 2024.{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Silas |date=7 October 2024 |title=Hurricane delays murder trial of accused suitcase killer Defendant Sarah Boone rejects plea deal for manslaughter |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/07/hurricane-delays-murder-trial-of-accused-suitcase-killer |access-date=24 October 2024 |work=Orlando Sentinel}} A jury of six with eight alternates was sworn in, and on October 18, 2024, Assistant State Attorney William Jay began opening arguments.{{cite news |last1=Quezada |first1=Angie |title=TIMELINE: Where things stand for Sarah Boone, Florida woman accused in suitcase death |url=https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2024/10/21/timeline-where-things-stand-for-sarah-boone-florida-woman-accused-in-suitcase-murder/ |access-date=24 October 2024 |agency=News 6 |date=22 October 2024}} The defense argued that Boone suffered from battered woman syndrome.{{Cite news |last=McLaughlin |first=Katie |date=September 8, 2023 |title=Sarah Boone attorney formally withdraws, won't let her call him a 'buffoon' |url=https://www.courttv.com/news/boone-attorney-formally-withdraws-wont-let-her-call-him-a-buffoon/ |access-date=September 30, 2023|website=Court TV}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-15 |title=Sarah Boone: January trial date canceled for Florida woman accused of murder after boyfriend dies in suitcase |url=https://news.yahoo.com/sarah-boone-january-trial-date-165835993.html |first1=Aurielle |last1=Eady |agency=FOX 35 Orlando |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240207013032/https://news.yahoo.com/web/20240207013032/https://news.yahoo.com/sarah-boone-january-trial-date-165835993.html |archive-date= 2024-02-07 }} Prosecutor Jay argued that “This defendant zipped Jorge Torres shut in a suitcase. She was able to do this because at the time of his death, he weighed 103 pounds. She did this with a malicious intent to punish him and then she went up to sleep and left him to take his final breaths on this Earth alone,” {{cite web| website = Spectrum News 13| url = https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2024/10/18/trial-of-winter-park-woman-accused-of-leaving-boyfriend-in-suitcase-to-die| title = Trial of Winter Park woman accused of leaving boyfriend in suitcase to die| access-date = October 21, 2024| archive-date = November 17, 2024| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241117001254/https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2024/10/18/trial-of-winter-park-woman-accused-of-leaving-boyfriend-in-suitcase-to-die| url-status = live}} Closing arguments were on October 25, 2024, and on the same day after less than two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict for second-degree murder. On December 2, 2024, Boone was sentenced to life in the Florida Department of Corrections.{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=KC |last2=Brachfeld |first2=Ben |title=Florida Woman Gets Life in Prison After Zipping Boyfriend in Suitcase Overnight in Drunken Hide-and-Seek Game |url=https://people.com/sarah-boone-sentenced-prison-suffocating-boyfriend-inside-suitcase-8753801 |website=People |access-date=December 2, 2024 |date=December 2, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Parry |first1=Hannah |title=Sarah Boone Sentenced to Life After Claiming Prison Was One of Her 'Greatest Experiences' |url=https://www.newsweek.com/sarah-boone-sentencing-updates-watch-live-suitcase-killer-faces-life-1994318 |website=Newsweek |access-date=December 14, 2024|date=December 2, 2024}}