Sarah Boone retains defense attorney, set to begin suitcase murder trial in October: court docs
Sarah Boone will no longer represent herself in her murder trial, according to new court records.
On Friday, the defense filed a motion requesting a continuance of the 3-week jury trial, as Boone has retained a new attorney.
The new attorney has met with Boone at least four times in August at the Orange County Jail. During these meetings, Boone shared "potential exculpatory evidence" stored on her phone, which is currently in the possession of the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
According to the motion, this evidence reportedly includes photos, videos, calendars, text messages, notes, and contact information for witnesses that could support Boone's "Battered Spouse Syndrome" defense.
In addition to this evidence, the defense has identified several potential expert witnesses covering a range of possible defenses and is vetting additional experts as directed by interested parties.
Earlier this week, Boone filed a motion to have her case dismissed, citing her constitutional right to a speedy trial, which was denied by the judge, court documents show.
Boone's trial is set to begin on Oct. 7 at 9 a.m.
Sarah Boone: Case background
On Feb. 25, 2020, Sarah Boone, then 42, was arrested by Orange County deputies after detectives said her boyfriend, 42-year-old Jorge Torres Jr., died after being zipped into a suitcase and left inside for hours. The incident reportedly happened at the couple's Winter Park home, near Aloma Avenue and Goldenrod Road.
According to investigators, Boone told them that she and Torres had been drinking wine and playing hide-and-seek, when she claimed she went upstairs and passed out in her bed.
She said she woke up hours later to her cellphone ringing multiple times. She then reportedly realized her boyfriend was possibly still inside the suitcase, and when she unzipped it, she found Torres unresponsive and not breathing. Boone called 911 and deputies arrived to find Torres dead.
New evidence released in Sarah Boone case
Sarah Boone is accused of killing her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., in Feb. 2020 inside their home in Winter Park after allegedly locking him inside a suitcase. Boone told deputies that she and Torres were playing a game of hide-and-seek and that she fell asleep. When she woke up, she said she found her boyfriend dead in the suitcase. The Florida State Attorney's Office released video allegedly recorded on Boone's cell phone that appears to show a conversation between her and Torres. Content warning: This video may be graphic and disturbing to some.
Sarah Boone suitcase videos: Suspect allegedly recorded boyfriend begging for help
Prosecutors said there were two videos on Boone's phone showing her recording video as her boyfriend tried to get out of the suitcase. They said the first video began recording on Feb. 24, 2020 at 11:12 p.m., in which Torres could be heard repeatedly yelling out Boone's name.
She reportedly was laughing as he screamed in terror, pleading for help until his final breath, investigators said. "For everything you've done to me, [expletive] you! Stupid," Boone could be heard saying in the video, according to deputies. "That's on you. Oh, that's what I feel like when you cheat on me," she reportedly added.
The second video began recording on Feb. 24 at 8:20 p.m., in which detectives said Torres is heard yelling out Boone's name. An arrest report said the suitcase was in a different position during the second video.
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