Sarah Boone suitcase murder trial: What to know

Opening statements in Sarah Boone suitcase murder trial

The trial of Sarah Boone, the Florida woman accused of zipping her boyfriend in a suitcase and then leaving him inside to die, has begun. Boone is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Jorge Torres.

The trial is expected to last several weeks. Whether you've been following the trial for a while or are new to the case, here is what you need to know. FOX 35 is streaming the Sarah Boone trial live gavel-to-gavel on FOX Local (now available on mobile and TV), on FOX35Orlando.com, and on our YouTube channel.

Who is Sarah Boone?

Sarah Boone, now 47, is charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 2020 death of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, 42, at their apartment in Winter Park, Florida.

Photos via FOX 35 reports and Florida State Attorney's Office.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charge. She claims Torres' death was in self-defense.

She was previously married to Brian Boone, with whom she had a son, but they later divorced. Brian Boone was called as a witness for both the prosecution and the defense.

Who is Jorge Torres?

Jorge Torres was the boyfriend of Sarah Boone. He was 42 years old at the time of his death, according to court records.

Boone said she found him unresponsive inside a suitcase after a night of drinking and playing hide-and-seek, according to the arrest report. He was pronounced dead inside the apartment.

According to the arrest report, the medical examiner's office found scratches on Torres' back and neck, and bruises on his shoulder, skull, and forehead, labeled as "blunt force trauma." A cut was also found on his lip.

Juan Torres, Jorge's brother, testified that he spoke with his brother on a "weekly basis." The two lived 5–10 minutes from each other, he said. Juan Torres said he had a brief phone conversation with his brother before his death. He testified that he heard Sarah Boone yelling in the background about Jorge allegedly choking her.

Timeline: What allegedly happened?

On Feb. 24, 2020, around 1 p.m., the Orange County Sheriff's Office responded to the apartment of Sarah Boone and Jorge Torres at 4748 Frantz Lane #3 in Winter Park, Florida, after Boone called 911 to report that her boyfriend had been found dead inside a suitcase.

Sarah Boone told detectives that she and her boyfriend drunk wine the night before and were playing a game of hide-and-seek. At some point, Torres, according to Boone, thought it would be funny to hide inside a blue suitcase. She zipped him inside.

Boone then went upstairs, fell asleep, and awoke the next day unsure where Torres was, according to the arrest report. Hours later, she went downstairs and found him dead inside the suitcase.

At the center of the case are two videos recorded by Sarah Boone on her cell phone. In the video, Torres is inside the suitcase repeatedly calling out Sarah's name and telling her that he cannot breathe.

Sarah Boone appears to taunt him back, comparing the feeling of not being able to breathe when he allegedly would choke her.

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.

What is the prosecution's argument?

Prosecutors plan to argue that Sarah Boone is responsible for Jorge Torres' death. Prosecutors said in their opening statements that Sarah Boone had "malicious intent to punish him" and that she did not care whether he lived or died.

"She did this with the malicious intent to punish him, and then she (went upstairs to sleep) and left him to take his final breaths on this Earth alone. How many breaths there were? We don't know," said William Jay, assistant state attorney, Florida's Ninth Judicial Court.

Sarah Boone trial: State's opening statement | FULL

Live video feed of Sarah Boone's trial. Sarah Boone is accused of killing her boyfriend, Jorge Torres, in Feb. 2020 by zipping him up in a suitcase during a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Torres was found dead in the suitcase the next day. Sarah Boone claims Torres' death was in self-defense.

"Jorge Torres is dead because of this defendant's judgment that he deserved it," he said.

What is the defense's argument?

For years, Sarah Boone claimed Jorge Torres's death was an accident and not intentional.

However, ahead of trial, Boone's defense, through her lawyer, changed. Her attorney, James Owens, will now argue that Sarah Boone suffered from Battered Spouse Syndrome and Torres' death was the only way out of an abusive relationship.

Owens said Sarah Boone loved Jorge Torres and that the two were co-dependents, but alleged that there was abuse inside that home – and that Boone had to defend herself.

"She loved her man. She hated the abuse," he said.

Sarah Boone Trial: Defense's opening statement | FULL

Owens also focused on the two videos found on Sarah Boone's cell phone – and the 11 minutes between when they were recorded.

"The key to this case in that 11 minutes…and what happened in those 11 minutes," Owens said.

Is Sarah Boone expected to testify in her defense?

Yes. Sarah Boone is expected to testify in her defense.

In his opening statement, defense attorney James Owen said Sarah Boone would take the stand in her trial.

What do we know about the jury?

Six people were selected to be on the jury and eight people were selected as alternates, 14 total.

In Florida, some criminal cases are tried by a six-person jury, rather than a 12-person jury in other states.

According to FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte, eight women and six men comprise the jury pool.

The jury was selected after four days of interviews.

How long is the trial expected to last?

Opening statements began on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. Judge Michael Kraynick said the trial was expected to last at least three weeks.

How can I watch the trial live?

FOX 35 is streaming the Sarah Boone trial live gavel-to-gavel on FOX Local (now available on mobile and TV), on FOX35Orlando.com, and our YouTube channel.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: