A Florida woman will spend the rest of her life in prison after a chilling case where she zipped her boyfriend into a suitcase, leaving him to suffocate. Sarah Boone, 47, was sentenced on Monday by Circuit Judge Michael Kraynick in Orlando for the 2020 death of her boyfriend, 42-year-old Jorge Torres, in Winter Park, a suburb of Orlando. The tragic story unfolded against a backdrop of domestic violence and heavy alcohol use.
Boone had claimed she was a victim of abuse herself but rejected a plea deal that would have given her a 15-year sentence for manslaughter. Instead, a jury took just 90 minutes on October 25 to find her guilty of second-degree murder after a 10-day trial.
During the emotional sentencing, Torres’ family shared their grief. Victoria Torres, Jorge’s sister, said, “Sarah deserves to rot in jail. Sarah has caused a lifetime of pain.”
Boone also spoke, claiming she endured years of abuse at Torres’ hands. She criticized how the trial and media coverage unfolded but asked for forgiveness. “I forgive myself for falling in love with a monster. I tried breaking the spell … I never stopped loving him,” she said. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. Forgive me, Jorge. Forgive me, Torres family.”
The events leading to this tragedy began on February 23, 2020. Boone initially told investigators she and Torres had been drinking heavily at their Winter Park home and playing hide-and-seek. She claimed it was “just a joke” when the 103-pound Torres climbed into the suitcase, and she thought he could get out on his own. Boone said she fell asleep, only to discover the next morning that Torres was still in the suitcase—unresponsive.
However, Boone’s story unraveled when investigators found disturbing videos on her phone. In the videos, Torres could be heard yelling from inside the suitcase, struggling to breathe, and repeatedly calling out Boone’s name. Boone’s voice could also be heard mocking him. “Yeah, that’s what you do when you choke me,” she said in one video. “Oh, that’s what I feel like when you cheat on me.”
Prosecutor William Jay revealed even more shocking details during the trial, alleging that Boone also hit Torres with a baseball bat while he was trapped in the suitcase. He argued that her actions were intentional and meant to terrorize Torres.
Boone testified in her defense, claiming she felt threatened and acted out of fear due to past violent incidents with Torres. But the jury didn’t buy it. Her rejection of the plea deal, which could have significantly reduced her sentence, proved to be a fateful decision.
The heartbreaking case has left Torres’ family devastated. They continue to mourn his loss while Boone now faces the consequences of her actions, spending her life behind bars.
