A Florida woman, Sarah Boone, has been sentenced to life in prison for the second-degree murder of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres. The tragic incident occurred in February 2020 when Boone, 46, and Torres were playing a drunken game of hide-and-seek in their Winter Park apartment.
Boone zipped Torres inside a suitcase and also struck him with a baseball bat before leaving him in the suitcase overnight. Torres tragically died from asphyxiation as a result of Boone's actions.
The case gained national attention when disturbing cellphone footage recorded by Boone went viral. The video showed Torres pleading for help as he struggled to breathe inside the closed suitcase while Boone callously responded with remarks like, 'That's on you' and 'That's what you get.'
Boone reported Torres' death the following day, claiming that he had died during their game of hide-and-seek. She alleged that she had attempted CPR upon finding him unresponsive.
During court proceedings, Boone maintained that she never intended to harm Torres and cited self-defense, also accusing Torres of abuse. However, the jury found her guilty of second-degree murder in October.
At the sentencing, Torres' family expressed their grief and loss, with his daughter describing him as a 'hidden gem' taken away by 'evilness.' She addressed Boone directly, expressing the hope that she would remember Torres' face in her thoughts.
Judge Michael Kraynick handed down the life sentence to Boone and denied a motion for a retrial from her defense team. The tragic case serves as a reminder of the consequences of reckless and harmful actions, resulting in a devastating loss of life.
