Sarah Boone Suitcase Killer: The Full Story, Trial, and Chilling Videos
Sarah Boone's mugshot following her arrest in February 2020.
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A game of hide-and-seek turned deadly. A cell phone that recorded a man’s final, desperate pleas from inside a suitcase. And a woman who claimed it was all a tragic accident. This is the complete, in-depth story of Sarah Boone, the “suitcase killer,” and the murder of Jorge Torres Jr., from their volatile history to the chaotic trial and the chilling evidence that sealed her fate.
A Timeline of the Sarah Boone Case
The case of Sarah Boone is a complex and disturbing story that unfolded over several years. To truly understand the events that led to the death of Jorge Torres Jr., it is essential to examine the complete timeline, from the couple's violent history to the final verdict and chaotic appeal process.
2016 – July 2018: A Relationship Forged in Violence
The relationship between Sarah Boone, born October 17, 1971, and Jorge Torres Jr. began in 2016. While they presented as a couple to the outside world, their four-year relationship was defined by a severe and recurring cycle of domestic violence. Police were called to their Winter Park, Florida, home on numerous occasions.
Records show a pattern of mutual abuse:
•Jorge Torres Jr. was arrested four separate times for battery against Boone. In each instance, Boone bailed him out of jail.
•Sarah Boone was also arrested. In July 2018, both were charged with battery against each other. Boone alleged that Torres had dragged her upstairs and kicked her in the eye. Torres claimed that Boone had wrapped both hands around his throat, choking him to the point that he had to kick her to break free. Boone was charged with the felony of battery by strangulation, though the charge was later dropped .
This history of violence established a dangerous and unpredictable dynamic that would ultimately culminate in tragedy.
February 23-24, 2020: The Final Game of Hide-and-Seek & The 911 Call
On the night of February 23, 2020, Boone and Torres were at home drinking Chardonnay. What happened next would be pieced together through Boone’s conflicting statements to police and the damning evidence she recorded on her own phone.
The Hide-and-Seek Story:
In her initial 911 call and police interview, Boone claimed they were playing a drunken game of hide-and-seek. She said they both thought it would be “funny” for Jorge to get into a blue suitcase. She zipped it up, went upstairs, and claimed she passed out, forgetting he was inside.
The 911 Call (February 24, 2020, approx. 1:00 PM):
Boone called 911 in a frantic state, telling the dispatcher her boyfriend was dead.
Boone: “My boyfriend is dead! My boyfriend and I were playing, and he went in a suitcase, and I fell asleep, and he’s in the suitcase, and he’s dead!”
When deputies arrived at the apartment on Frantz Lane, they found Jorge Torres Jr.’s body on the floor near the front door, next to the blue suitcase. He was unresponsive and had visible injuries, including a cut on his lip and bruising around his eye.
The Suitcase Videos: What Did Sarah Boone Record?
Sarah willingly gave her phone to investigators, likely forgetting what she had recorded. The two videos found on her device became the prosecution's most powerful evidence, completely contradicting her “game gone wrong” story. The videos show Boone taunting and verbally abusing Torres as he slowly suffocated.
Video 1 (Recorded February 23, 11:12 PM):
The video shows the suitcase on the floor, shaking. Jorge can be heard calling Sarah’s name and telling her he can’t breathe.
Jorge: “I can’t f---ing breathe, seriously.”
Sarah: (Laughing) “Yeah, that’s what you do when you choke me… Oh, that’s what I feel like when you cheat on me… For everything you’ve done to me. F--- you. Stupid.”
Video 2 (Recorded 11 minutes later):
The suitcase is now in a different position, flipped upside down. Jorge is still pleading for his life.
Jorge: “I can’t breathe, babe.”
Sarah: “That’s on you. That’s what I feel like when you cheat on me.”
The Investigation and Autopsy Results
When confronted with the videos, Boone claimed she didn’t remember recording them and that they looked “bad.” The physical evidence also told a story of a struggle, not a game.
Jorge Torres Jr. Autopsy Findings:
The autopsy confirmed that Torres died from positional asphyxia. The medical examiner also noted several injuries inconsistent with Boone’s initial story:
•Scratches on his back
•A contusion on his forehead
•A busted lip
•Bruising around his eye
These injuries suggested a struggle and blunt force trauma, leading to Boone’s arrest for second-degree murder on February 25, 2020.
The Legal Circus: How Many Attorneys Did Sarah Boone Have?
The path to trial was a chaotic spectacle, largely due to Boone's inability to maintain a working relationship with her legal counsel. Over the course of four years, she went through a staggering thirteen attorneys (nine for the trial and four for the appeal), creating a revolving door of legal representation that repeatedly delayed the proceedings.
1. Letitia Fowler (Public Defender, February 2020) — Fowler was Boone's first attorney, assigned from the Office of the Public Defender. She withdrew almost immediately after Boone chose to hire private counsel instead.
2. Mauricio Padilla (Private Attorney, February 2020 – May 2022) — Padilla was Boone's first private attorney and stuck with her for over two years, longer than almost anyone else. He ultimately filed to withdraw citing "irreconcilable differences" and described the attorney-client relationship as "adversarial."
3. Robert Wesley (Public Defender, May 2022 – June 2022) — Wesley was appointed after Padilla left, but he had to withdraw almost immediately due to a significant conflict of interest: he had previously represented the victim, Jorge Torres Jr., following a domestic violence arrest.
4. David Varet (Public Defender, June 2022) — Varet, from the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, also had a conflict of interest. He had previously represented Melissa Sexton, a property manager who was a witness in the case.
5. Mark Consalo (Public Defender, June 2022 – July 2022) — Consalo withdrew due to a conflict of interest, making him the third attorney in a row to exit for that reason.
6. Frank Bankowitz (Public Defender, July 2022 – August 2023) — Bankowitz lasted over a year before Boone's behavior became too much to bear. He told Judge Wayne Wooten that no one should have to endure repeated verbal abuse from their client, citing letters Boone had written calling him a "dud" and a "buffoon." Boone, for her part, claimed he had been unreachable for eight months. The judge granted the withdrawal.
7. Winston Hobson (Public Defender, September 2023 – February 2024) — Hobson withdrew citing "ethical concerns," offering little further explanation.
8. Patricia Cashman (Public Defender, February 2024 – June 2024) — Cashman became the eighth attorney to file a motion to withdraw, citing "irreconcilable differences, including, but not limited to, ethical considerations."
Pro Se (June 2024 – August 2024) — After Cashman's withdrawal, Judge Michael Kraynick ruled that Boone had forfeited her right to court-appointed counsel, stating that "it has become apparent to the Court that Defendant will not permit herself to be represented by anyone." Boone was forced to represent herself, leading to a series of chaotic court hearings and, eventually, her now-famous handwritten "Inmate Seeks Attorney" ad.
9. James Owens (Private Attorney, August 2024 – December 2024) — Owens stepped in after seeing Boone's handwritten ad circulated by the media. He represented her through the trial and sentencing, strongly urging her to accept a plea deal for manslaughter with a 15-year sentence — which she rejected. He declined to represent her on appeal.
10. Allen Holland (Appellate Attorney, December 2024) — Holland was appointed just after sentencing but withdrew after only 16 days, with no reason publicly given.
11. Joshua Adams (Appellate Attorney, December 2024 – July 2025) — Adams withdrew after stating he was "no longer practicing appellate work or accepting court-appointed appellate cases." Boone had complained in a formal filing that he had gone weeks without responding to her calls, letters, and emails.
12. Rodrigo Caruço (Appellate Attorney, July 2025 – November 2025) — Caruço withdrew after accepting a new job that took him away from appellate work.
13. David Maldonado (Appellate Attorney, November 2025 – Present) — Maldonado is Boone's current appellate attorney as of late 2025. As of November 2025, Boone had filed a handwritten motion to the court stating she did not know who her attorney was or the status of her appeal — a pattern that, at this point, should surprise no one.
The Trial, Verdict, and Sentencing
After years of delays, Sarah Boone’s trial for second-degree murder began on October 14, 2024.
The Defense Strategy: Battered Woman Syndrome
The defense, led by James Owens, argued that Boone was a victim of long-term domestic abuse and suffered from Battered Woman Syndrome. A forensic psychologist testified that Boone’s actions were a product of the trauma she had endured. Boone herself took the stand for five hours, testifying that she was terrified of what Torres would do if he got out of the suitcase.
The Prosecution's Case
Prosecutor William Jay focused on the chilling videos, telling the jury they would “not hear tears, you will not hear sorrow” from Boone. He argued the videos were not the actions of a scared woman, but of a cold-blooded killer documenting her crime.
The Verdict (October 25, 2024)
After less than two hours of deliberation, the jury found Sarah Boone guilty of second-degree murder.
The Sentencing (December 2, 2024)
Before her sentencing, Torres’s family gave emotional victim impact statements. His mother, Blanca Torres, said, “She not only killed my son, she killed a father, a brother, an uncle.”
Boone also gave a long, rambling 20-minute statement, maintaining her victimhood and detailing the abuse she allegedly suffered.
“I forgive myself for falling in love with a monster,” she declared.
Judge Michael Kraynick was unmoved. He sentenced Sarah Boone to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Aftermath: An Appeal in Limbo
Sarah Boone is currently serving her life sentence at the Lowell Correctional Institution in Florida. True to form, her appeal process has been just as chaotic as her trial. As of late 2025, she is on her fourth appellate attorney, David Maldonado, after the previous three withdrew for various reasons. The deadline to file her initial brief has been extended but is looming, and Boone has filed handwritten motions complaining that she has had no contact with her own lawyer .
Lingering Questions
The jury has delivered its verdict, but the case of Sarah Boone leaves behind a host of disturbing questions about domestic violence, accountability, and the dark side of human nature. Was this a case of a battered woman who finally snapped, or a calculated act of cruelty by a woman who wanted to watch her partner die? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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