By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-29 20:56:53 | Updated at 2024-10-30 23:28:29
1 day ago
Convicted killer Sarah Boone was left 'shocked' after a jury found her guilty of murdering her boyfriend, despite video showing her trapping him inside a suitcase.
Boone, 47, from Winter Park, Florida, was found guilty of second-degree murder Friday in the February 2020 death of her boyfriend Jorge Torres, 42.
Her attorney, James Owens, who 'strongly' encouraged his client to consider a plea deal, told NewsNation she was 'shocked' by the jury's decision.
'She nor I were anticipating guilty as charged, you know, we considered that the jury might convict her of a lesser charge,' Owens said. 'She was in shock they found her guilty as charged.'
During her trial, a horrific cell phone video showed Torres inside a large blue suitcase, pleading for his life, while Boone giggled.
Sarah Boone, the woman who killed her boyfriend after stuffing him inside a suitcase in February 2020, said she was 'shocked' a jury found her guilty of second-degree murder. (pictured: Boone arriving in court Friday)
Jorge Torres, 42, was found dead in the luggage after Boone zipped him inside during a wine-filled game of hide-and-seek, she told police
The convicted murderer recorded two clips of her laughing and taunting Torres as he begged for help inside the suitcase (pictured), evidence from the state attorney's office revealed
She told police that she zipped him inside the bag during a wine-fueled game of hide-and-seek at their home.
However, footage from her phone showed him thrashing around in the suitcase, telling her 'I can't f***ing breathe' as she yells back at him.
The convicted murderer recorded two clips of her laughing and taunting Torres as he begged for help, evidence from the state attorney's office revealed.
Torres repeatedly called out for Boone and she replied through laughter: 'For everything you've done to me, f**k you, stupid.'
'I can't f**ing breathe, babe, seriously,' Torres said.
'Yeah, that's what you do when you choke me,' Boone replied.
Torres continued to cry for her help pleading that he cannot breathe and Boone told him: 'That's what I feel like when you cheat on me.'
Her attorney, James Owens, 'strongly' encouraged his client to consider a plea deal, which would have seen her behind bars for just 15 years for manslaughter, but she refused. (pictured: Boone and Owens in court on October 14)
'I can't breathe, Sarah,' Torres said. Boone replied, 'Then you should probably shut the f**k up.'
The videos showed two different angles of the suitcase, one with the front of the bag face up laying next to a flip flop and another with the front on the ground.
Interrogation footage showed investigators questioning how Torres suffocated inside the suitcase, which Boone claimed was an accident as they played a drunken game of hide and seek.
Boone said she and Torres were painting pictures, completing a puzzle and drinking Woodbridge Chardonnay when they decided to play the game.
Boone said she hid upstairs in the shower, but Torres never went up to look for her.
When she came downstairs, she found Torres in the living room, and together they decided to have her zip up Torres in the suitcase, and she claimed she left two of his fingers sticking out of the zipper.
She initially pleaded not guilty and rejected a plea deal that would have given her just 15 years in prison for manslaughter.
When she came downstairs that day, she found Torres in the living room, and together they decided to have her zip up Torres in the suitcase, and she claimed she left two of his fingers sticking out of the zipper
Boone is seen demonstrating how she zipped Torres into the bag for the jury during her trial
Boone represented herself for much of her time in court after eight previous attorneys were removed or quit.
After several complaints about her representation Boone drew her own advertisement for an attorney, reading 'Inmate seeks Attorney'. She wrote on the hand-drawn ad: 'Looking for a prosperous challenge? Ready for your close-up on nat'l television? Are you zealous with a side of keen?'
'Show the WORLD who you are with your original creativity, extraordinary expertise, confident ingenuity,' the ad continued and finished with the words 'epic opportunity awaits' and 'invest in the oppressed'.
During her trial, Boone also made an audacious request, which was denied, for professional hair and makeup while she stood trial.
Boone had made claims that her boyfriend was abusive toward her. She told the court that Torres threatened to make her 'unrecognizable' or she 'would have lost my life'.
A former neighbor testified that she had seen marks on Boone's arm and neck, and Boone would discuss the abuse during conversation, reported Orlando News 6.
She testified that she hadn't let him out because he had been forcefully trying to escape and that he was angry, expressing that she was 'always in fear'.
'His hand started to come through, and so I shook the suitcase to try and get his hand to go back in. Telling him please stop doing this to me,' she told the court.
'He used to tell me he would make me unrecognizable, or I would have lost my life,' she added before stating she used a baseball bat to poke his hand back in and hit his hand.
Under cross examination, she admitted she wanted Torres to know how she felt living with his alleged abuse.
Boone then went upstairs and 'passed out' before awaking the following morning and finding Torres still inside the suitcase.
A detective had pointed out to her that she had refused to free him while he was 'begging for you to let him out', to which she responded: 'It was not intentional. I will put my hand on the Bible. It was not intentional.'
On the 911 call, played during the trial, she described him as 'stiff and purple' with blood coming out of his mouth and it was later determined that Torres died as a result of positional asphyxia.
During the call, Boone was heard giving an emotionless recount of what had happened.
When asked about the nature of her emergency, she calmly said: 'My boyfriend is dead.'
The 911 operator then coached Boone through CPR while she protested that she had already attempted and asked them to 'hurry up'.
She said to the court that she was 'aghast' and was unable to describe the 'feeling of terror' upon discovering his body.
According to the arrest report, the autopsy found that Torres had scratches on his back, a large scratch on his neck, a cut lip, bruising on his left shoulder, and bruises on his forehead from 'blunt force trauma', reported Fox 35.
Boone was arrested in 2018 on a battery charge for the strangulation of her boyfriend, and Torres was charged with battery from an alcohol-fueled altercation within their home
Both Boone and Torres had a reported history of violence. She was arrested in 2018 on a battery charge after the attempted strangulation of Torres, and he was charged with battery from an alcohol-fueled altercation within their home.
According to the affidavit, Boone had wrapped her hands around his neck attempting to strangle him, prompting Torres to kick her.
A year later, Torres was arrested twice in one month on battery charges.
As closing arguments wrapped up on Friday, Boone's defense attorneys requested a mistrial after members of Torres's family walked out while the footage of him zipped inside the suitcase was shown.
The motion was denied.
Defense attorney Owen responded in questioning that Boone was 'convinced in her mind' that she had no intention of killing Torres and that 'this was just circumstance'.
He continued: 'I think she felt bad about any murder conviction or pleading to any type of murder that she was somehow criminally responsible for Jorge's death, and I think that's where her mindset was.'
After she was found guilty of the bizarre murder, State Attorney Andrew Bain said: 'This is a very horrific homicide... Today, justice was served with the conviction of Sarah Boone.'
After four years of legal disputes, unforeseeable setbacks and several pre-trial hearings, Boone is expected to receive her sentencing on December 2.
