FL v. Sarah Boone: Suitcase Murder Trial

ORLANDO, Fla. (Court TV) — Jury selection will begin next Monday for a woman accused of murdering her longtime boyfriend by zipping him inside of a suitcase and leaving him to die.

Sarah Boone takes the stand at a motions hearing before her trial. (Court TV)

Sarah Boone is charged with second-degree murder for the death of Jorge Torres Jr., who was found dead inside a suitcase inside the couple’s shared apartment on the morning of Feb. 24, 2020.

In a series of interviews at the scene and the next day at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Boone told investigators that Torres had willingly gotten into the suitcase while the couple was playing hide-and-seek after a night of drinking.

Prosecutors say key evidence in their case includes two videos found on Boone’s phone that were recorded while Torres was in the suitcase. The videos feature the victim begging to be let out, with Boone laughing and taunting him. Boone told police she went up to bed shortly after the videos were taken and fell asleep, leaving Torres inside the luggage.

Boone is being represented at trial by James Owens, her ninth attorney in the case , who volunteered to step in as her lawyer after Judge Michael Kraynick ruled she had forfeited her right to an attorney. That ruling followed eight other attorneys withdrawing from the case, citing Boone’s behavior as an issue. Boone has been vocal about her own defense, writing a number of letters to the judge and even creating an advertisement for a lawyer that eventually caught Owens’ attention.

Owens has filed an intent to use battered spouse syndrome as a defense in the case, citing years of domestic abuse and arrests in Boone and Torres’ relationship.

On Oct. 7, Boone rejected a plea offer from prosecutors that would have sent her to prison for 15 years for pleading guilty to manslaughter. If she’s found guilty, Boone faces a minimum of 22.5 years in prison and a potential life sentence.

Jury selection was initially set to begin on Oct. 7, but a hurricane in the forecast prompted the courthouse to close and proceedings to be postponed until Oct. 14.