Florida Woman on Trial for Suffocating Boyfriend Claims Her Actions Were 'Justified'

 

Sarah Boone, a 46-year-old Florida woman, is on trial for the second-degree murder of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, who was found dead in a suitcase in their apartment in February 2020. Boone, who appeared in court on Friday, October 18, claims that Torres, 42, willingly got into the suitcase during a drunken game of hide-and-seek. She stated that she fell asleep while he was inside and woke up the next morning to find him dead.

Boone’s defense attorney, James Owens, argued that Boone’s actions were not intended to kill Torres, but rather to gain a “captive audience” after enduring years of abuse during their three-year relationship. Owens stated that Boone’s actions were "justified" given the repeated physical and psychological abuse she suffered at the hands of Torres. He added that both Boone and Torres struggled with alcoholism and described their relationship as tumultuous and violent.

The prosecution, led by Assistant State Attorney William Jay, painted a different picture, accusing Boone of acting with "malicious intent" to punish Torres. A key piece of evidence presented by the prosecution is a video Boone recorded, in which Torres can be heard pleading for help, repeatedly saying, "Sarah, I can't breathe." Boone can be heard giggling in the video, saying, "For everything you've done to me. F*** you."

Owens told the jury that Torres had a history of being violent when intoxicated, often becoming jealous and physically abusive. He described how Boone used the suitcase as a way to restrain Torres, whom he claimed was physically stronger, adding that Boone lashed out verbally during the incident.

Both Boone and Torres had previously been arrested for battery against each other, highlighting the violent nature of their relationship.

The court also heard from Boone’s ex-husband, Brian Boone, who testified that she drunkenly called him the night Torres died. He admitted that he did not pay much attention to her call due to her history of contacting him in an intoxicated state. The following day, when she told him Torres was dead, he advised her to call emergency services and went to her apartment. Upon arriving, he noticed Torres’s feet sticking out of the suitcase but chose to wait for emergency responders in his car.

Before the trial, Boone was offered a plea deal that would have resulted in a 15-year prison sentence if she pled guilty to manslaughter. She rejected the deal and now faces a minimum sentence of 22-and-a-half years if convicted of second-degree murder. The trial is ongoing.