Killing of Jorge Torres

2020 murder in Winter Park, Florida

Killing of Jorge Torres

Location| Winter Park, Florida, U.S.
Date| February 24, 2020; 3 years ago (2020-02-24)
c. 11:00 p.m. (EST)

Attack type

| Homicide by suffocation
Weapon| Suitcase
Victim| Jorge Torres Jr., 42
Accused| Sarah Boone
Charges| Second-degree murder

On February 24, 2020, Jorge Torres Jr., a 42-year-old American man died in Winter Park, Florida, when he climbed inside a suitcase case at his home while the couple played a game of hide and seek. Torres suffocated to death after his girlfriend, then-42- year-old Sarah Boone zipped him into the suitcase, leaving a 1-2 finger hole open, and then passed out upstairs without realizing that he would not be able to get out of the suitcase himself. Following Torres's death, Boone was questioned but not arrested until the following day when she voluntarily went into another police interview.

## Background[edit]

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 was dismissed. Torres had been arrested four times for alleged battery against Boone, and each time, Boone bailed Torres out of jail afterward.[1]

## Incident[edit]

On February 25, 2020, Sarah Boone had 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.[2] Torres' death was ruled a homicide.[3]

Boone was not arrested the day that she allegedly found him in the suitcase and called the police. The following day, she was asked to go to the police station for an interview. During the interview, forensic investigators asked for her phone; she willingly gave her phone to them, and it was searched. The search found two videos that Boone had taken the night before. However, she did not remember taking the videos, and she also did not try to delete the videos. According to court records, the videos depict Boone saying to Torres, "For everything you've done to me."[3][4][5]

Boone was subsequently charged with second-degree murder for killing Torres. Held in Orange County jail without bail, she has written letters to the trial judge stating that she has not been represented fairly. She is expected to use the battered woman defense at her trial, which has been delayed many times and currently has no scheduled date.[6][7]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Sarah Boone case: What to know about Winter Park woman facing murder charge after boyfriend dies in suitcase". FOX 35 Orlando. 2022-10-18. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
2. ^ Delandro, Taylor (2023-03-13). "Florida woman charged after boyfriend dies in suitcase". Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
3. ^ a b Dobrzyn, Erin (2020-05-27). "Report: Man died of asphyxiation after girlfriend locked him in suitcase for 'up to 11 hours'". WKMG. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
4. ^ Laviola, Erin (2020-02-26). "Sarah Boone: Florida Woman Left Boyfriend to Die in Suitcase, Cops Say". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
5. ^ "Sarah Boone case: Attorney plans to argue battered spouse defense in 2020 death of Boone's boyfriend". FOX 35 Orlando. 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
6. ^ McLaughlin, Katie (September 8, 2023). "Sarah Boone attorney formally withdraws, won't let her call him a 'buffoon'". Court TV. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
7. ^ "Sarah Boone: January trial date canceled for Florida woman accused of murder after boyfriend dies in suitcase". Yahoo News. 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2024-02-07.

*[c.]: circa